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Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide (ISSN 1096-7400)/No. 416/April-June 1998.
Editorial Office
Created in the Image of God
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
Our Physical Nature
Principal Contributor
Jack J. Blanco
Our Social Nature
Editor
Philip G. Samaan
Spirit, Soul, Body
Associate Editor
Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti
The Origin of Sin
Editorial Assistant
Soraya Homayouni Parish
The Fall
Art and Design
Lars Justinen
The Restoration of Human Nature
Pacific Press Coordinator
Condition in Death
Glen Robinson
The adult Sabbath School Bible
Invented by the Devil
Study Guide is prepared by the
Sabbath School/Personal Ministries
Department of the General Confer-
Human Vulnerability
ence of Seventh-day Adventists. The
preparation of the guides is under
the general direction of a worldwide
Encounter
Sabbath School Lesson Committee,
the members of which serve as
consulting editors. The published
Scripture Twisting
Bible Study Guide reflects the input
of the committee and thus does not
solely or necessarily represent the
The Last Fight for Human
intent of the authors.
Freedom
Contents
6
14
22
30
38
46
56
64
72
80
88
96
104
I
Meet the Principal Contributor
to This Quarter's Bible Study Guide
Dr. Jack J. Blanco graduated with a
B.A. from Union College; with an M.A.
and M.Div. from the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary; with
an M.Th. from Princeton Theological
Seminary; and with a Th.D. from the
University of South Africa. During
his career, he has served as pastoral
assistant, pastor, and evangelistic co-
ordinator, working in the Potomac, New
Jersey, Georgia-Cumberland, and South-
eastern California conferences.
He chaired the theology departments
at Solusi College, the graduate pro-
gram at Philippine Union College, and
taught theology at Columbia Union
College, where he also served as aca-
demic dean. He also served as an asso-
ciate editor of the
Review and Herald.
At the time of this writing he
served as holder of the Ellen G. White Memorial Chair in Religion
and as dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist Univer-
sity. He has written articles for
Adventist Review, Ministry,
and
The
Journal of the Adventist Theological Society.
His best-known work
is
The Clear Word (An Expanded Paraphrase of the Bible to Nurture
Faith and Growth).
During World War II, Dr. Blanco spent three years in a German
labor camp, returning home to the U.S. weighing only 80 pounds.
During the Korean War he served in the United States Air Force. Dr.
Blanco enjoys almost any kind of exercise, especially hiking and
waterskiing. He is an avid reader. His hobbies include specialized
stamp collecting from times of answered prayer or other significant
experiences in his life and rock collecting from places geographi-
cally connected with the Bible or with Adventist mission work. Dr.
and Mrs. Blanco have two children and two grandchildren.
Check with your local Adventist Book
Center for the companion book to the
Bible Study Guide.
2
E
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This rapidly growing area has some
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The Nature of Man
The nature of men and women—how they came to be, what hap-
pened to change them from having been created "very good" (Gen.
1:31), their restoration, and their ultimate destiny—is becoming in-
creasingly important as we near the second coming of Christ. Much
confusion exists about this important subject, and it is the purpose of
this quarter's guide to focus on what the Scripture teaches.
Humankind did not spring out of nature by some natural evolu-
tionary process, for according to Genesis, the creation of human
beings is attributed directly to God. Men and women were created
and formed by Him (Gen. 1:27; 2:7, 8). Also, while the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit
(Elohim,
plural for God) were involved in the crea-
tion process (Gen. 1:2, 26), Jesus was more directly involved. "All
things were made through Him. . . . " (John 1:3, NKJV).
Even though there exists a close relationship between humans
and nature, in contrast, humans were created in the image of God
(Gen. 1:27), distinct and unique, with the capacity to "think God's
thoughts after Him"
(Education,
p. 17). People were of more value to
Jesus than the birds and the beasts (Matt. 10:31; 12:12). He saw them
as sons and daughters of God first by creation (Luke 3:38) and then
by redemption (John 1:12; 3:16).
Satan deceived our first parents by using the serpent to lie about
God (Gen. 3:1-5). He continues to lie about our loving God and uses
any means he can to lead us to doubt His love. But Jesus came to
save the world, not to condemn it. Furthermore, Satan lied to our
first parents about their destiny. He told them that they would not
die (Gen. 3:4). This was the beginning of the belief in the immortal-
ity of the soul and opened the door to such evils as spiritualism.
As we near the coming of Christ, Satan will intensify his efforts
to deceive (Rev. 12:12) and to deceive even the very elect (Matt.
24:24). Jesus' warning, "See, I have told you beforehand" (Matt.
24:25, NKJV), must be taken seriously. It is the context of the great
controversy that makes this quarter's topic so important.
"Man and woman were made in the image of God with individual-
ity, the power and freedom to think and to do. . . . When our first
parents disobeyed God . . . the image of God in them was marred and
they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen
nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and
tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself
and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their
Maker."—"Fundamental Beliefs, 7." Quoted in
Seventh-day Adventists
Believe . . . A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines,
edited under the direction of the Ministerial Association of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (Hagerstown, Md.:
Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988), p. 78.
5
Lesson 1
March 27—April 2
Created in the Image of
God
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 1:26-31; 2:18-25.
MEMORY TEXT: "So God created man in His own image; in
the image of God He created him; male and female He created
them" (Genesis 1:27, NKJV).
KEY QUESTION:
What does it mean to be created in God's image?
CREATION AND DIGNITY.
In Genesis 1:26, 27 "is clearly set forth
the origin of the human race; and the divine record is so plainly stated
that there is no occasion for erroneous conclusions. God created man in
his own image.... There is no ground for the supposition that man was
evolved, by slow degrees of development, from the lower forms of
animal or vegetable
life."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 44, 45.
The psalmist says, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens
made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (Ps. 33:6);
"For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" (v.
9). God was not dependent upon pre-existing matter, but created this
world out of nothing (ex nihilo). The universe was formed at God's
command, so that what is seen was not made of things which appear
(Heb. 11:3). If God had been indebted to pre-existing matter to create
the universe, where would it have come from? Has matter always
existed alongside God, there for Him to use? If that were true, who
created matter originally? Where did it come from? From solidified
gas or gel? But where did the gas or gel come from? As the Greek
philosopher Aristotle pointed out, there must be a "first cause" or an
"uncaused cause." We believe that "first cause" is God.
6
Sunday
March 28
CREATED TO LOOK LIKE GOD (Gen. 1:26; Ps. 139:14).
Scripture speaks of God in human terms having form (Exod. 24:10;
Num. 12:8) with feet (Gen. 3:8; Exod. 24:10), hands (Exod. 24:11),
mouth (Num. 12:8; Jer. 7:13), and heart (Hos. 11:8). We must be careful
not to attribute to God the limitations of our physical nature, to become
too anthropomorphic in visualizing the Creator. However, to say that
God is completely different from us is just as wrong as to say that He is
completely like us. Jesus said, "God is Spirit, and those who worship
Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24, NKJV). A mediating
position is found in the answer Jesus gave to Philip when he asked to see
the Father. Jesus said, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have
not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how
can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9, NKJV). While the
context has reference to the character of the Father more than to His
form, the comparison with the Father's tangible characteristics cannot be
excluded. Those who wish to jettison all anthropomorphic characteristics
of God are unable to explain how personal human beings can be brought
into existence by an impersonal force.
"As man came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of lofty
stature and perfect symmetry. His countenance bore the ruddy tint of
health, and glowed with the light of life and joy. Adam's height was
much greater than that of men who now inhabit the earth. Eve was
somewhat less in stature; yet her form was noble, and full of beauty."
—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 45.
While in vision Ellen White "saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and
the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person.
The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light
covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He
said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, 'If you should once
behold the glory of His person, you would cease to
exist.'"—Early
Writings,
p. 54.
Compare what Moses saw of God while on Mt. Sinai described
in Exodus 33:17-23 with Paul's statement in 1 Timothy 6:13-16.
How do you reconcile the two?
Not only did Jesus say to Philip "If you have seen Me, you have
seen the Father," but He also said, "I am going away and coming back
to you. . . . I am going to the Father" (John 14:28, NKJV). "The
Father's arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, 'Let all the
angels of God worship Him.' Heb.
1:6."—The Desire of Ages,
p. 834.
Can you visualize God's arms encircling you and saying, "Welcome
home"? What a thrill that will be! Aren't you glad that God is real?
7
Monday
March 29
CREATED TO THINK LIKE GOD (Job 38:1-7; Rom. 12:1, 2;
Phil. 2:5-8).
In the Old Testament the term
heart (leb)
brings the total nature—
emotional, volitional, and intellectual—of men and women together.
It has a combined meaning we call "mind" (Deut. 15:9; Judg 5:15, 16)
or "intellect" (Job 8:10; 12:3; 34:10) and is often used with the idea of
a person's thought or wish. In this sense, what is "in the heart"
actually means "what is in the mind," and what is in the mind makes
men and women what they are. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he"
(Prov. 23:7, NKJV). Paul, on the other hand, does not employ such
general terms; they are much more precise. He uses words such as
flesh (sarx)
and
spirit (pneuma)
respectively to denote the ethical and
higher aspects of man's moral nature, as well as
soul (psyche)
to
denote the principle of individual life and native rational ability,
which of course has been affected by sin (Rom. 1:8; 8:6, 7; Eph. 4:17;
Col. 2:18; 1 Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:15). (See H. D. McDonald, "Man,
Doctrine of,"
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology,
ed. Walter A. Elwell
[Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1984], pp. 676-680.)
After Adam and Eve sinned, what changes in their behavior indi-
cated a change in their thinking? Gen. 3:8-13.
"Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-
balanced mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God.
His thoughts were pure, his aims holy. But through disobedience, his
powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature
became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for
him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. He was made a
captive of Satan, and would have remained so, forever, had not God
specially interposed. . . . In his sinless state, man held joyful communion
with Him 'in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.'
Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness,
and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the
condition of the unrenewed
heart."—Steps to Christ,
p. 17.
Fact:
"There is a way that seems right to a man. But its end is the
way of death" (Prov. 14:12, NKJV).
Prayer:
"Teach me Your way, 0 Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite
my heart to fear Your name" (Ps. 86:11, NKJV).
Promise:
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps.
119:105, NKJV).
Christian Education:
"Every human being, created in the image of
God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality,
power to think and to
do."—Education,
pp. 17, 18.
8
Tuesday
March 30
CREATED TO REFLECT GOD (Lev. 11:44, 45; 1 Cor. 2:12-14;
1 Pet. 1:13-16).
Men and women were created with a spiritual dimension akin to the
Creator. They were called to be holy as He is holy. The word
spiritual-
ity
is relatively new. It is not commonly used in biblical or theological
dictionaries, and there is a reluctance to speak of spirituality without
grounding it in Scripture. Expressions such as
spiritual formation,
spiritual health,
and
spiritual discipline
can easily lead men and
women to think of spirituality apart from personal obedience to the
Word of God. In the past, expressions such as
holiness, holy living,
godliness, walking with God, discipleship
were more acceptable be-
cause they emphasized commitment and a deepening relationship with
Christ guided by Scripture. The penetration of secularism into every
aspect of modern life and the surge of interest in spiritualism are cause
for alarm.
Asceticism, reaching a higher spiritual state by rigorous self-denial,
discipline, exclusivism, and contempt for the material world is not
spirituality according to Scripture:
1.
The biblical revelation of God leaves no place for human wisdom
as in Eastern thought, nor for human reasoning as in Greek thought.
The will of God has been given to us in Scripture. The Ten Command-
ments, written by the God of the covenant, gives us a very different
orientation.
2.
Christian spirituality is also Christ-centered. Scripture speaks of
believers being
in Christ
and being
followers of Christ
in the sense of
having a dynamic relationship with Jesus as Saviour and Lord that
leads to continued spiritual growth assessed by reflecting Him.
3.
True spirituality engenders fellowship, the communion of the
saints, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. It means godliness and
spiritual friendship reflected in the horizontal as well as the vertical
dimension of existence. It means the embodiment of the love of God in
the human heart for Him and for others. (See J. M. Houston, "Spiritual-
ity,"
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology,
pp. 1046-1050.)
Compare the expression "be ye holy for I am holy" in Leviticus
11:44, 45 with 1 Peter 1:13-16. In what way are they different and yet
the same?
Application: Can a person continuing a life of sin such as
adultery or dishonesty, without repentance and change, claim to
have a spiritual relationship with Christ? Does what you do in
the body have an impact on your soul, the spiritual part of you?
9
Wednesday
March 31
CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD (Mic. 6:8; Matt. 5:43-48; Acts
10:34, 35).
Throughout the Old Testament the concepts of men and women as
unique and responsible individuals and as social and representative
beings are clearly set forth. For example: Adam was a man and yet
mankind. Old Testament writers see in him individuality and social
solidarity. He is not viewed atomistically but as the representative of the
whole human community. Similarly, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas, and
others, such as the king and the high priest, embody in themselves the
whole nation. From this perspective of racial solidarity it follows that
Adam's sin affected not only himself but every man and woman who
followed, both in themselves and in the whole range of their social
relationships. Scripture teaches that God created the entire human
species in Adam and Eve by empowering them to procreate and propa-
gate "after their kind" (Gen. 1:12, 21, 25). The solidarity of the race and
its solidarity with sin is seen in such passages as Psalm 58:3; Romans
5:12, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:3. (See H. D. McDonald,
"Man, Doctrine of,"
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology,
pp. 677-679.)
List the six illustrations of the higher application of the law that
Jesus gives in Matthew 5:21-47 that reveal the kind of relationship
with others that reflects the character of God.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Note:
In Matthew 5:48, Jesus is not speaking of perfection as abso-
lute sinlessness. The word
perfect (teleios)
means full-grown or ma-
ture adult beings, such as trained and fully qualified professionals
(compare 1 Cor. 13:11). Paul speaks of "them that are perfect" (1 Cor.
2:6) and of "as many as be perfect" (Phil. 3:15). At the same time, the
apostle recognizes that there are always new heights to gain and that
he himself has not reached the ultimate perfection (Phil. 3:12-14).
(See
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 341.)
Application: "Ministers especially should know the character
and works of Christ, that they may imitate Him; for the charac-
ter and works of a true Christian are like His. . . . He is our
pattern."—Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 2, p. 549.
10
Thursday
April 1
THE IMAGE BROKEN (Gen. 3:8-11; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:23).
There are different views as to how sin affected the nature of man. In
the Augustinian-Calvinist view, men and women are totally depraved,
totally dead, their will is not free to choose the good. Therefore, salva-
tion is an act of God's irresistible grace and predestination of those who
are chosen by Him to be the elect. Arminius and John Wesley, on the
other hand, taught that Adam's sin had dire consequences and that
each of us possesses a "natural propensity" to sin. At the same time
they maintained that every man and woman still possesses free will
and the ability to choose to ratify or to turn against this inborn direc-
tion by accepting Christ as their Saviour and the aid of the Holy Spirit
to help them walk in the way of righteousness. In other words, men
and women are sick and need the medicine of the Great Physician.
(See H. D. McDonald, "Man, Doctrine of,"
Evangelical Dictionary of
Theology,
p. 680.)
Find three texts that show that our freedom to choose good—
and thus reflect the image of God—has not been entirely lost by
the entrance of sin.
1.
2.
3.
Related to the question of freedom to choose the good is the ques-
tion of what constitutes the moral image of God. Some biblical scholars
make a distinction between the creation-image given to all men and the
redemption-image given to the redeemed. Such theological distinctions
are unwarranted. The practical question is: Was this moral image totally
obliterated at the entrance of sin, leaving men and women totally
depraved, or was the moral image simply shattered, leaving humans
unable to restore it on their own? If the moral image of God in men and
women had been totally obliterated, if Adam and Eve had fallen "totally
flat" after they sinned, how could there be a succession of falls?
Reflect: "When Christ took human nature upon Him, He
bound humanity to Himself by a tie of love that can never be
broken by any power save the choice of man himself. Satan will
constantly present allurements to induce us to break this tie—to
choose to separate ourselves from Christ. Here is where we need
to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may entice us to
choose
another master; for we are always free to do this. But let us keep
our
eyes
fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us.... Nothing
can pluck us out of His
hand."—Steps to Christ,
p. 72.
11
Friday
April 2
FURTHER STUDY: Look up the word
Evolution
as listed in the
Index to the Writings of Ellen G. White
to understand some of the
reasons God gives why this theory is unacceptable and not according
to the biblical record. Also read the article entitled "Science and a
Literal Creation" in the
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,
vol.
1, pp. 46-63. Look up the phrase "Image of God" in the
Index
to
better understand the meaning of that expression and read
Seventh-day
Adventists Believe . . . ,
Chapter 7, "The Nature of Man," which gives
a more comprehensive view of the subject.
Discussion Questions:
I. Is it possible to be an evolutionist and also a biblical theist, to
deny the miracles of Creation while maintaining the super-
natural nature of the Christian message? If one does try to
hold these two concepts in tension, does this not imply a kind
of dualism in which the body is the product of evolution and
the spiritual capacity is given by God? Can there be harmony
between evolution with its philosophical concept of a closed
universe and the biblical concept of divine intervention and
sovereignty? Are these two concepts not mutually exclusive?
2.
Is there a difference between the creation-image of God
conferred on the whole human race and the redemption-
image of God given to the redeemed? If the creation-image
distinguishes the human race from the animals and the
redemption-image distinguishes regenerate men and women
from the unregenerate, is there something given to the re-
generate that was not included in the creation-image given
to everyone? Does this mean that the entrance of sin gave
men and women something that they would not have had,
had they not sinned?
3.
What physical, mental, and spiritual activities and moral
qualities are included in imaging God? Are men and women
of faith able to reflect the character of God, having inher-
ited a sinful nature? Are there degrees to which believers
can mirror God? What are they? Are they all acceptable?
SUMMARY:
The Bible teaches that God created all things out of
nothing. He did not use evolution to create humans but molded Adam
from clay and breathed into him the breath of life.
12
411
A Baby Named Adra
Constance Strahle
Working in the field with ADRA International is anything but
boring. During the 15 months I spent working in public health in
south Sudan, broken bones, malaria, and other hardships threatened
our work. But some experiences made it all worthwhile. This was one
of them.
Six of us crammed into ADRA's tiny utility vehicle for the eight-
hour trip to the ADRA base camp in South Sudan. The rain-rutted
roads made travel painful at best. Halfway to our destination we were
stopped by a roadblock. When the base commander saw us he asked
us to examine a Dinka woman who had been in labor for five days.
George, a Kenyan nurse, and I examined her and agreed to take her to
a hospital four hours away.
We squeezed back into the jeep and continued our journey. Two
hours later Mary, the expectant mother, began to fidget and perspire.
George suggested we stop and examine her again. We laid my bed
sheet on the tall savanna grass beside the road and examined Mary
again. The baby was coming—now!
George quickly went to work, but Mary delivered a baby boy
before we were ready. I cleaned my knife and George cut the cord.
Soon she delivered a second baby, a girl. But the tiny girl was not
breathing. I wrapped the baby boy in my bath towel while George
worked on the little girl. After several minutes the little girl began
to breathe on her own!
After Mary had rested a bit we loaded her and the twins into the
back of the vehicle. George rode with our new passengers in the
jeep, and the rest of us began walking toward our destination.
When we reached camp, long after dark, we learned that Mary's
husband had met his new family at the hospital. When he heard the
day's story, he promptly
named his new son Adra.
Suddenly the long trip
that day hadn't seemed so
tiring after all.
Mary with Baby Adra and
his sister (left). Constance
Strahle was serving as
Immunization Coordinator
with ADRA/South Sudan
when she met Mary.
ADRA photo.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
13
Lesson 2
Apri13-9
Our Physical Nature
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Ps. 8:1-9.
MEMORY TEXT: "Do you not know that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19, NKJV).
KEY QUESTION:
How is our physical well-being related to being
created in God's image?
A MOST MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE!
In his book
Fearfully and Won-
derfully Made: A Surgeon Looks at the Human and Spiritual Body,
Dr.
Paul Brand shares insightful descriptions of the functions of various
parts of the human body. Regarding our body's cells, Dr. Brand com-
ments that while cells are the same in terms of their construction, they
specialize in function. Each cell carries the entire instruction book of
100,000 genes. Our DNA is so compacted that all our cells could fit into
a small ice cube. Yet, if they could be unwound and joined together to
make a strand, they would stretch from the earth to the sun and back
more than 400 times.
It is estimated that our DNA contains instructions that, if written out,
would fill a 1600-page book. A nerve cell may operate according to
instructions from volume 4, while a kidney cell operates from volume
25. But both carry the whole book with them.—Adapted from Dr. Paul
Brand and Philip Yancey, "Unity,"
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980), pp. 44, 45.
This week, determine with God's help to keep your magnificent
temple, created in His image as His masterpiece, functioning smoothly.
14
Sunday
April 4
MOLDED FROM CLAY (Gen. 2:7; 3:17-19; Eccles. 3:19, 20).
Contrast how God created the animals on the fifth and sixth day with
how He created Adam. Gen. 1:20-23, 24, 25; 2:7.
The Hebrew word we translate as "formed" in Genesis 2:7 implies an
act of molding and fashioning corresponding to the design the Creator
had in mind. It is similar to the work of a potter that Isaiah describes in
Isaiah 29:16 and 49:5. Then God breathed life into this clay model of
Adam, and he became a living being (Gen. 2:7). Imagine, for a mo-
ment, the awesome sight of the Creator God working the wet clay with
His hands, and then with His mouth, breathing His life into Adam's
nostrils. What an amazing sight!
Compare and contrast the description of the creation of Adam given
in Genesis 1:26, 27 with Genesis 2:7. Why are there two accounts of
his creation?
Explain the significance of God breathing into lifeless Adam the
"breath of life."
At first glance, the description in Genesis 2:7 is quite different from
the description in Genesis 1. This does not mean there are two different
accounts of Creation as some scholars think. Rather, Genesis 2 de-
velops and explains what is in Genesis 1. The message of the Scrip-
tures is that even though human beings are created in God's image,
they are still creatures of earth. For Adam and Eve, to be created in the
image of God does not mean they were immortal and partly divine.
They were of the dust of the ground. Their loyalty to divine principles
must be tested before they could be given immortality.
In the work of creation, humanity arose out of the dust by God's
power. In the Fall, however, humanity returns to the dust by its own
failure. Symbolically, all that leads to higher ground is the work of God.
All that leads to degradation is the work of sinful humanity.
In what ways do you sense your dependence on God? What makes
you conscious of your human limitations and weaknesses?
Describe how you have experienced or are experiencing God's
creative power. What should realizing this do to our human
pride? What should it do for men and women who love God?
15
Monday
April 5
AFFECTED BY SIN (Gen. 3:16-19).
List four ways sin
affected Adam and Eve physically. Gen. 3:16-19.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Before the Fall, Eve and Adam could "freely" eat the produce of the
Garden. Afterward, Adam was to till the ground to obtain food. Neither
was the condition of the land what God intended it to be. Thorns and
thistles sprang up, and it no longer yielded what it produced of itself.
Symbolically, the importance of what we eat is associated with our
relationship with God. The harvest feasts in the Old Testament were to
celebrate God's gift of "the good land" of the covenant. And the eating
of bread made without leaven pointed back to a life without sin.
—Adapted from
The Expositor's Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, Frank E.
Gaebelein, ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House,
1990), pp. 56, 57.
Explain how the promise of hope God gave to Adam and Eve in
Genesis 3:14-16 relates to the promise of a new heaven and a new earth
in Revelation 21:1-5.
Genesis 3:15 was the first promise of redemption, the first glimmer of
hope for Adam and Eve. God would send His Son to take their sin upon
Himself, die in their place, and give them another opportunity to demon-
strate their loyalty to Him by accepting the Son of God as their Saviour
and Lord, then committing their lives in loving obedience to their
Creator. Inherent in this promise was the eventual restoration of the
earth as God had intended it to be. Calvary stands at the crossroads of
history as a fulfillment of the promise given and of the assurance that
God's promises cannot fail.
Calvary also stands at the many crossroads of your life. In
what ways does Christ's victory over Satan affect your daily
activities? How does Calvary assure you that God's promises
cannot fail?
16
Tuesday
April 6
NONE OF THESE DISEASES (Exod. 15:26).
List some of the diseases in Deuteronomy 7:14, 15 and
28:27, 28
that were prevalent among the Egyptians.
Egyptian doctors were famous for their healing arts. Ancient medical
books divided diseases into three classes: (1) those that could be treated,
(2) those that could be arrested, and (3) those that could not be cured.
A surgical casebook from the Edwin Smith papyrus lists 48 surgi-
cal cases along with their observations on the procedure of examina-
tion, diagnosis, and treatment. Common diseases included arthritic
conditions, arteriosclerosis, tuberculosis, meningitis, syphilis, and small-
pox. The Egyptians were pioneers in utilizing animal secretions such
as blood and bile in therapeutics and the fats of birds and animals as
the base of some emollients. Nevertheless, Egyptian medicine was
closely connected with religion. Many of their gods were credited
with the power of healing.
The Israelites credited God with the power to heal. But they also
regarded disease as conditioned by moral and spiritual factors, and
they accepted the major ailments as the result of personal sin and
rebellion.—The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,
Edgar W.
Smith, Jr., ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.,
1979), vol. 1, pp. 954, 955.
Which individuals had the following health concerns?
Circulatory-1 Sam. 25:36-38
Paralysis-1 Kings 13:4-6
Physical deformities-2 Sam. 21:20
Blindness-1 Kings 14:4
"Disease has been transmitted from parents to children, from genera-
tion to generation. Infants in the cradle are miserably afflicted because
of the sins of their parents, which have lessened their vital force. Their
wrong habits of eating and dressing, and their general dissipation, are
transmitted as an inheritance to their
children."—Testimonies for the
Church,
vol. 3, p. 140.
If you and your spouse are considering having a child, what
health habits should you change in preparation?
17
Wednesday
April
7
HEALTH AND HEALING (Ps. 103:1-5).
From God's perspective, why is health so important? To what does
the apostle John compare the value of good health? 3 John 2.
The Greek work translated "in good health" means to practice hy-
giene, to be sound. This is how the physician Luke uses the word (Luke
5:31; 7:10; 15:27). God is interested in our well-being. There is a close
relationship between the mind, body, and soul or character. Each influ-
ences the other. When we neglect our body's health, our spiritual life
suffers. And when we neglect our spiritual health, our mind and body
suffer. (See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 695.)
"Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong
life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and
strength to the soul. 'A merry [rejoicing] heart doeth good like a
medicine.'
"—The Ministry of Healing,
p. 241. "Too little attention is
generally given to the preservation of health. It is far better to prevent
disease than to know how to treat it when contracted."—The
Ministry
of Healing,
p. 128.
Beside each of the eight principles of health, write a goal for
yourself. (See
The Ministry of Healing,
p.127).
Nutrition
Exercise
Water
Sunshine
Temperance
Air
Rest
Trust in God
How much do you value health? Why? If it is simply health for
health's sake, then what do you do more than others? Are there
not secular people who are interested in health? What, then, is the
difference between them and those of us who follow Scripture?
18
Thursday
April 8
BODY TEMPLES (2 Cor. 6:16-18).
Since the bodies of believers are sacred shrines of the Holy Spirit, we
must not pollute them. God gave us our bodies. Therefore, every sin
committed against our bodies is a sin against our Maker and against the
Holy Spirit (see John 14:16, 17). God places a high value on humans as
shown by the price He was willing to pay for them. Because Christ
purchased us with His life, we have an obligation to honor Him in all we
do. This includes keeping our bodies morally pure and in the best
condition possible.
What comparison or spiritual application can you find between
Christ's act of cleansing the temple and the Holy Spirit's cleans-
ing of our lives? How do you find such an application helpful to
you? Matt. 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15, 16.
Paul contrasts the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21) with the fruit of
the Spirit (vv. 22, 23). Why does Paul speak of the fruit (singular) of
the Spirit, then list nine different kinds? Gal. 5:22, 23.
The fruit of the Spirit suggests that which is the natural product of
the Holy Spirit rather than the natural product of men and women. It
suggests that these nine qualities are a unity, like a bunch of grapes,
instead of separate pieces of fruit. To some degree, all these qualities
exist in all true Christians, depending on the rate of a person's spiritual
growth. Thus, the fruit differs from the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12),
which the Spirit gives to different people as the church needs them.
The fruit of the Spirit falls into three categories of three each: (1)
habits of mind, primarily God-ward; (2) relationships with others and
social graces; and (3) concerns about how the Christian is to be in
himself or herself.—Adapted from
The Expositor's Bible Commen-
tary, vol.
10, p. 498.
Personal assessment: How many of your habits of mind are
God-ward? How do you see your relationships with others and
your social graces?
Do you find that you manifest some of the nine virtues more
than others? If so, what are your strong ones and weak ones?
What can you do to strengthen the weak ones? Should all these
virtues be equally strong in each of us? Explain your answer.
19
Friday
April 9
FURTHER STUDY:
Read Daniel 1. What does this prophet's experi-
ence teach us about the connection between maintaining our physical
well-being and our relationship with God?
Also read
The Ministry of Healing,
"General Hygiene," pp. 271-286.
"Nothing tends more to promote health of body and of soul than
does a spirit of gratitude and praise. It is a positive duty to resist
melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings—as much a duty as it
is to pray. If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of
mourners, groaning and complaining all along the way to our Father's
house?
"Those professed Christians who are constantly complaining, and
who seem to think cheerfulness and happiness a sin, have not genuine
religion. Those who take a mournful pleasure in all that is melancholy in
the natural world, who choose to look upon dead leaves rather than to
gather the beautiful living flowers, who see no beauty in grand moun-
tain heights and in valleys clothed with living green, who close their
senses to the joyful voice which speaks to them in nature, and which is
sweet and musical to the listening ear—these are not in Christ. They
are gathering to themselves gloom and darkness, when they might
have brightness, even the Sun of Righteousness arising in their hearts
with healing in His beams."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 251.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer
the Key Question in Sabbath's lesson? What Bible texts
would you use to support your answer?
2.
Reread the information in Sabbath's lesson about our body's
cells. Based on this information, what applications can you
make regarding the diverse and unified function of the
church—the body of Christ?
SUMMARY:
What affects the body easily affects the mind. And
what affects the mind easily affects the body. Because God created
our bodies and because He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, we
should strive, with His help, to maintain optimum physical and mental
health.
20
In;
God Honors A Man of Faith
J. H.
Zachary
Vincente Cumbe shared his dream with the small group of believ-
ers who worshiped in a garage in a suburb of Quito, Ecuador. While
visiting in North America, he had seen lovely churches with Sabbath
School rooms for the children. He wanted to build a church in his city
that would seat 450 people. "It will have Sabbath School rooms for
the children and enough land for a school as well."
The members of his small congregation tried to discourage their
elder. "How can we afford such a large church, and how will we ever
have that many believers?" they asked.
But Vincente would not give up his dream. "My God is able," he
answered. The income from his little vegetarian restaurant and bak-
ery was small. "Lord, help us find a new product to sell, and I will
give a second tithe for the new church," he prayed. He and his wife,
Laura, began selling fresh fruit juice. At first his sales were only
about $8.00 a day, but Vincente and Laura continued to pray, and
promised God 20 percent of their income after their tithe. The Lord
blessed, and the new juice business grew. So did their offerings for
the new church. Today their fruit business grosses $400 a day.
Vincente spent many hours searching for land. But after several
landowners refused to sell, he became frustrated. One night he lay
awake praying. "I'm not going to look for land any longer, Lord. If
You want a church in this part of the city, send a landowner to me."
Three days later a stranger offered Vincente an excellent piece of
land at a good price. The land was large enough to build a large
church plus an elementary school.
Early in 1997 a group of Maranatha volunteers from the United
States flew to Ecuador and helped the believers begin construction
of the church's main shell. As funds came in, the believers contin-
ued to work on their church. Then in July 1997 the congregation
sponsored its first evangelistic meeting, and
Fl
the company grew to 70 members.
Even as the believers work to finish their
new church, Vincente Cumbe believes that
one day this church will be too small.
Vincente Cumbe (left). J. H. Zachary is
international evangelism coordinator for The
Quiet Hour in Redlands, California.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
2I
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Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:18-22; Matt. 6:9-
13; Luke 2:51, 52; John 2:1-12; Eph. 3:14, 15.
MEMORY TEXT: "A man who has friends must himself be
friendly" (Proverbs 18:24, NKJV).
KEY QUESTION:
What can we learn about our social nature from
the interrelationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
GOD'S IMAGE IN PLURALITY.
The word
Our
in Genesis 1:26
reveals that the Deity possesses plurality, while the word
His
in verse
27 reveals that the plurality of God does not cancel out the Godhead's
unity. God is triune, three Persons, yet so united they are One.
This image of God in humanity does not mean that the human race is
simply "a collection of individuals, all possessing their own separate
image. . . . The interrelationship of the Father, Son, and Spirit as
Three-Persons-in-One suggests that the image of God and therefore
the nature of humanity is to be found in the constitution of human
beings as
social
beings. . . . To be human is to be-in-relation."—New
Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology,
David J. Atkinson
and David F. Fields, eds. (Downer's Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press,
1995), p. 25.
As you study this week's lesson, always keep in mind that as a
Christian, you are part of a great worldwide family. Because of the
Father's love for us, we are all sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ
(1 John 3:1).
22
C'E
Sunday
April 11
CREATED FOR COMPANIONSHIP (Gen. 2:18; Eccles. 4:7-12;
John 8:29).
List the disadvantages of being alone and the advantages of having a
friend. Eccles. 4:7-12.
The expression "It is not good that man should be alone" (Gen.
2:18) included all human beings, not just Adam. While the context of
Genesis 2:18 is Creation week and the relationship of a man and a
woman as husband and wife, the principle found in this verse applies
to all humans, regardless of their status.
God did not create us to be alone and certainly not to ever feel
lonely. He created us for companionship either through the marriage
relationship, family, friendships, or all three.
A number of factors contribute to loneliness in modern society.
Secularism, individuality, achievement, acquisitions, and appearance
are some of the main culprits. Secularism cuts people off from any sense
of ultimate purpose and relationship with God.
On the other hand, a number of factors contribute to cutting us off
from one another. These factors include our attempts at individualism,
achievements, acquiring possessions, and maintaining appearances;
they cut us off from meaningful relationships with each other. Di-
vorce, relocation, retirement, and death are other common causes of
loneliness. (See
Encyclopedia of Psychology,
David G. Benner, ed.
[Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1985], p. 656.)
Explain Jesus' answer to loneliness found in John 8:29. What
happened to Him on Calvary? Matt. 27:46.
In Gethsemane, when the guilt of the world's sin was placed upon
Jesus, He began to fear that He would be cut off from His Father's love
forever. On Calvary, He experienced what He feared and cried out, "My
God, why have you forsaken Me?" It was not the spear thrust in His
side nor the cruelty of the cross that caused His death. He died of a
broken heart when His Father separated Himself from His Son. The Son
of God was slain by the sin of the world and in this sense tasted the
second death for all who would accept Him as their wonderful Saviour
and Lord.
What other characteristics about modern life have the ten-
dency to make us lonely? How does knowing that Christ experi-
enced the ultimate in loneliness help to ease any loneliness you
might be feeling now?
23
Monday
April 12
COMPANIONSHIP IN MARRIAGE (Gen. 2:21-25; Eph. 5:22-33).
Describe what the words
leave
and
cleave
mean in
Genesis 2:24.
"Adam knows that this creature, whom God has shaped with his
assistance, out of his flesh, is unique, but he sees this action of his upon
the other entirely as a gift of God. The fact that Eve derives from him is
in Adam's eyes not a cause for glorification but for special gratitude. He
does not put forward any claim for himself: he knows that he is con-
nected in a completely new way to this Eve, who derives her existence
from him. It is best to describe this unity by saying that now he belongs
to her because she belongs to him. They are no longer without one
another; they are one and yet two."—Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
Creation and
Fall,
(New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1959), p. 60.
Explain the value a husband should place on his wife. Eph. 5:25-33.
"The marriage relationship is now set out as being a reflection of the
relationship between Christ and his church. This is to raise it to an
unimaginably lofty level. In 1 Corinthians 11:12 Paul had already marked
out a hierarchy in which God is seen as the head of Christ, Christ as the
head of man, and the man as the head of the woman. Here he looks at it
from another angle. If the head of the woman is the man and the head of
the church is Christ (Eph. 1:22; 4:12, 16), then it is permissible to draw
an analogy between the wife's relationship to her husband and the
church's relationship to Christ. Marriage is thus interpreted in the sublimest
terms. It is compared with the marriage of the Lamb to his bride."—The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 11,
p. 75.
Because God meant for Adam and Eve to complement one another,
both found wholeness in their relationship. It is a miracle that two
separate wills should achieve such unity. Because each person feels
that life seems valueless without the other, both are eager to make
sacrifices for one another.
Your young son or daughter is contemplating marriage to a special
friend. Based on today's lesson, what advice would you give?
One plus one, according to the rules of simple addition,
equals two. But when a man and a woman are united by God in
marriage, how does the equation of two people joined together
add up to one, as well as two? Explain your answer based on
God's creation of Adam and Eve.
24
Tuesday
April 13
BROKENNESS (Mal. 2:10-17; Matt. 19:1-9).
Explain why God refused to accept the offerings of His people.
Mal. 2:10-17.
God had long borne with Israel's complaining and discontent. Di-
vine patience had reached an end. The prosperity and glory the people
had hoped would come had not arrived. Thus they questioned the
justice and holiness of God, even the certainty of His future judgment.
They made it
appear
they were good. They believed that because to a
certain degree they prospered, God approved of them. They did not
deny their faith or turn against God. But they doubted He was really
concerned with their character.
Why did God allow Moses to grant divorce when it is so disruptive to
the human spirit, the family, and the community? Matt. 19:7, 8.
Before God gave them the law regarding divorce (Deut. 24:1-4), the
Israelites did what was common in the ancient world. They divorced
their wives simply by ordering them out of the house. Any woman
unattached to either her father or husband was considered a disgrace
and had to fend for herself in an unsympathetic society. Hoping to
improve things, God commanded that a woman be given a certificate
identifying her as divorced so she might legally and properly become
the wife of another without any stigma. Thus the law was not intended
to sanction divorce but to modify a harmful custom with a view to
protecting a woman from a capricious husband. (See
SDA Bible Diction-
ary,
p. 275.)
God never approved of the practice of divorce or of polygamy but
worked with His people to gradually wean them away from such prac-
tices. The laws He gave Moses were designed not to immediately
abolish polygamy but to strongly discourage it (Lev. 18:18; Deut.
17:17). Other laws He gave restricted divorce (Deut. 22:19, 29; 24:1)
and elevated the standard of married life (Exod. 20:14, 17; Lev. 20:10;
Deut. 22:22). Christ made it clear that provisions for a plurality of
wives and divorce were not ideal and certainly not part of God's plan.
As with other instructions God has given us, He is gently leading us
toward the Eden ideal. (See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 1002.)
What can we do as Seventh-day Adventists to help prevent
divorce and to assist in alleviating the hurt, pain, and loneliness
that results when it does occur?
25
Wednesday
April 14
FELLOWSHIP (I John
1:1-3).
Why did John write his epistle? And what does he mean by having
fellowship? I John
1:1-3.
The Greek word for fellowship means "sharing a common life," a
"partnership," "communion," "participation," etc. Ancient literature
speaks about it as joint owners of a piece of property or shareholders in
a common enterprise. In the New Testament, it means (1) sharing in a
supernatural life, a born-again life with other believers, and (2) a rela-
tionship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Christian fellowship
has both a vertical and a horizontal dimension—fellowship with God
(vertical) and with others (horizontal). This means that we are a
community of believers and that as such we are bearers of the Word of
God and the Spirit of Christ. We are part of the fellowship as soon as
the Father grants us the gift of the Holy Spirit. (See
The Expositor's
Bible Commentary,
vol. 12, p. 307.) This is the personal, intimate, and
invigorating fellowship John wishes all believers to have. It is the
same kind of fellowship that he had with Jesus here on earth.
What principles regarding fellowship can you glean from Acts
2:40-47 and 4:32-35? How can you put these principles to work where
you live? What was the result of the outworking of these principles?
Acts 2:43, 47; 4:33.
"Those who truly love God . . . will find that Christian society and
conversation is food to the soul, that in the society of those who love
God they breathe in the atmosphere of heaven. Christians will exercise
love and sympathy one for another. The encouragement given one to
another, the esteem manifested one for another, the helps, the instruc-
tion, the reproofs, warnings, the Christian counsel that should be found
among the followers of Christ will further them in the spiritual life; for
Christian fellowship is according to God's plan."—My
Life Today,
p. 216.
In what sense are you and your fellow Christians shareholders in a
common enterprise?
Based on John's definition of fellowship, how would you rate
your fellowship with God? With others? If neither is what it
should be, what can you do to make it better?
26
Thursday
April 15
COMMUNITY (Luke 10:25-37; Matt. 25:31-46).
Contrast the attitude of the priest and the Levite with that of the
Samaritan. Luke 10:30-35.
The man who was robbed and beaten was a Jew who was traveling
from Jerusalem to Jericho. The Samaritan knew that if he had been the
victim and a Jew was passing by, he could expect no mercy. At
considerable risk to himself, he stopped to help the Jew. The attitude
of the priest and Levite toward one of their own people stands in sharp
contrast to this Samaritan.
Read John 4:9, 8:48, and Luke 9:51-56. The compassion and mercy
the kind Samaritan showed toward someone from another race is all
the more remarkable considering the hatred that existed on both sides
toward each other. In those days, to be called a Samaritan was like
being called a devil.
Compare the parable of the good Samaritan with the parable of the
sheep and the goats. Describe their similarities and differences. Matt.
25:31-46.
On the Mt. of Olives, Christ gave His disciples a picture of the great
judgment day. "And He represented its decision as turning upon one
point. When the nations are gathered before Him, there will be but two
classes, and their eternal destiny will be determined by what they have
done or have neglected to do for Him in the person of the poor and
suffering....
"Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known
little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the
influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about
them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit
of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they
have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril
of their lives. . . . Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has
touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God."
—The Desire of Ages,
pp. 637, 638.
What are some of the needs your fellow human beings have
that you can supply? Is it only food, shelter, and clothing? Or is
it also acceptance, a sense of belonging, and a feeling of appre-
ciation? How are you supplying these needs to your family,
neighbors, and fellow citizens in general?
27
Friday
April 16
FURTHER STUDY:
Compare Zechariah 7:8-14 with Matthew 25:
31-46. Read
The Adventist Home,
"Our Social Needs," pp. 455-458.
"Among all the creatures that God had made on the earth, there was
not one equal to man. And 'God said, It is not good that the man
should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him' (Genesis 2:18).
Man was not made to dwell in solitude; he was to be a social being.
Without companionship, the beautiful scenes and delightful employ-
ments of Eden would have failed to yield perfect happiness. Even
communion with angels could not have satisfied his desire for sympa-
thy and companionship. There was none of the same nature to love
and to be
loved."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 46.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Question in Sabbath's lesson? How can you apply your
answer to your own life?
2.
In Genesis 1:27 we read that "God created man in His own
image; in the image of God He created him;
male and fe-
male He created them"(emphasis
supplied). What does the
last part of this verse tell us about the social aspect of God's
creation of our first parents?
3.
What expressions in the Lord's Prayer
emphasize our so-
cial
nature? Matt. 6:9-13.
4.
Jesus is not ashamed to call His followers brothers and
sisters (Heb. 2:11). What does this tell you about Him?
5.
In
The Desire of Ages,
page 524, we are told that "at the
home of Lazarus, Jesus had found rest. The Saviour had no
home of His own; He was dependent on the hospitality of
His friends and disciples.... He longed for human tender-
ness and affection." What lessons may we learn from this
about Christian sociability and fellowship?
SUMMARY:
Being created in the image of God means we are social
beings. Fellowship with God and one another helps us to enjoy life and
share the love of Christ with those who need it most.
28
A Change of Plans
Lixberth Ruiz Adames
Lixbert Ruiz had taught for years, but now he was returning to
school to study theology. As he packed his bags for the trip to the
Adventist university in Medellin, the telephone rang. It was the
president of the local conference.
"We need someone to go to La Cumbre district to plant a
church. Would you consider this call?" Before he hung up, Ruiz
accepted the call.
The Ruiz family moved to La Cumbre. Most of the 10,000
people who live in the region farm small plots of land or work in
the villas of landowners who live in the city.
Ruiz met 75-year-old Jaime Hincapie (HAI-meh een-CAH-peh),
a cobbler who lives in the center of town. The old man surprised
Ruiz. "I have been expecting you. My God has sent you here for a
great purpose."
Hincapie is a respected leader of the community. Even though
his eyesight is failing, he faithfully reads the Bible. He accepted
the "Faith of Jesus" bible lessons that Ruiz offered him, studying
two or three lessons a week. When he saw the Bible study on the
Sabbath, he went into his house and returned with an old Voice of
Prophecy certificate. "I know that the Sabbath is the true day of
rest!"
Through Hincapie, Ruiz met many citizens of La Cumbre. He
offered them the Bible study guides and a copy of El Centinela
magazine. Within three months 110 people were studying the Bible
course. A group of Adventists from Cali came on Sabbaths to help
Ruiz study with the Bible students, and within a few months 75 had
completed the Bible course.
At a special ceremony where the Bible students received their
certificates, a call to follow Jesus in baptism brought positive
responses from many of the students. Jaime Hincapie wants to be
the first to be baptized. He has offered his small home and property
in the center of town for a church.
Professor Ruiz thinks it was worth changing his study plans in
order to share the gospel with people who were waiting in La
Cumbre. He challenges you: "Is God calling you to change your
plans so that others can hear God's good news?"
Lixberth Ruiz Adames taught primary and secondary school for
25 years. Today he is a lay worker in Colombia.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
29
Lesson 4
Apri117-23
Spirit, Soul, Body
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 2:7; Matt. 10:28; 1 Thess.
5:23.
MEMORY TEXT: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanc-
tify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body
be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
What does it mean that humans are composed of
spirit, soul, and body? How do these parts function as a whole? How do
they function in terms of our relationship with God and our fellow
humans?
ONE INDIVISIBLE WHOLE.
"And the Lord God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and
man became a living being" (Gen. 2:7, NKJV).
Scripture gives us a simple equation for understanding the nature of
humans: Body (dust of the ground; the earth's elements) plus
Breath of life ("spirit" of life from God) equals
A living person (a soul).
Nowhere does the Bible speak of the soul as an immortal entity
capable of living apart from our body. Neither does it speak of the spirit
as an entity which can exist independent of our physical nature. We are
not made of independent parts temporarily connected, but of body,
soul, and spirit in one indivisible whole.
As you study this week's lesson, develop an outline that will help
you answer the Key Questions listed above.
30
Sunday
April 18
SPIRIT (Judg. 15:19; Eccles. 12:7; Luke 10:21).
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word
ruach
occurs 377 times and
is translated "wind," "breath," or "spirit" (Gen. 8:1), "life principle"
(Gen. 6:17; 7:22), "courage" (Josh. 2:11), "vitality" or "strength" (Judg.
15:19), "disposition" (Isa. 54:6), and "moral character" (Ezek. 11:19).
The "spirit" or "breath" of a person is identical with the "spirit" or
"breath" of animals (Eccles. 3:19). This "spirit" or "breath" of a person
returns to God at the time of death, and the body returns to the dust
where it came from (Job 34:14; Eccles. 12:7). It is also translated "Spirit
of God" (Isa. 63:10). In the New Testament the Greek word
pneuma
is
similarly translated as "spirit" or "to breathe." It is also translated as
"mood," "attitude," or "state of feeling" (Rom. 8:15; 1 Cor. 4:21; 2 Tim.
1:7; 1 John 4:6). Like
ruach,
it is sometimes translated "Spirit of God"
(1 Cor. 2:11, 14; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 2:4; 1 Pet. 1:12; 2 Pet. 1:21).
Neither in the Old Testament nor the New Testament does
ruach
or
pneuma
refer to an intelligent entity capable of existence apart from the
body. (See
SDA Bible Dictionary,
p. 1040.)
How does your Bible translate the words
ruach
and
pneuma
in the following passages?
Judges 15:19
Job 34:14
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Romans 8:15
2 Timothy 1:7
It is helpful when trying to understand what happens to a person at
death to study Genesis 2:7 and Ecclesiastes 12:7 together. In as much as
Genesis 2:7 describes the making of a human at Creation, Ecclesiastes
12:7 describes the un-making of a human at death. Death is the reversal
of the creation act: the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and
the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
"And the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Eccles. 12:7,
NKJV). How does it make you feel about God to know that He
gave you the breath of life?
31
Monday
April 19
SOUL (Ps. 23:3; Matt. 26:38; Heb. 4:12).
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word
nephesh
occurs 755 times
and is translated in various ways depending on the context. It is most
frequently translated "life" (Gen. 9:4, 5; 1 Sam. 19:5; Job 2:4, 6; Ps.
31:13) and "person" (Gen. 14:21; Num. 5:6; Deut. 14:22). It is also
translated "dead body" (Num. 9:6) and "appetite" (Eccles. 6:7). In
numerous places it is translated as personal pronouns (Gen. 12:13; Lev.
11:43, 44; Ps. 3:2; Jer. 37:9). In the New Testament, the Greek word
psuche is similar
to the Hebrew word
nephesh
and is translated "life" or
"lives" over forty times.
In the following verses, the King James Version translates
nephesh
and
psuche
as "soul." How does your Bible translate them?
Gen. 2:7; 12:5
Ezek. 18:4
Matt. 26:38
Rev. 16:3
"A living soul" (Gen. 2:7).
"When the lifeless form of man was
infused with this divine 'breath,'
neshamah,
of life, man became a living
`soul,'
nephesh.
The word
nephesh
has a variety of meanings [see
above]. . . . [None of these meanings] applies to the spirit,
ruach,
indicating clearly the great difference between the two terms. It is
obvious from [these meanings] that the translation "soul" given by the
KJV to the
nephesh
of ch. 2:7 is not appropriate, if the commonly used
expression "immortal soul" be implied. Although popular, this concept
is completely foreign to the Bible. This passage may rightly be trans-
lated: 'Man became a living being' (RSV). When 'soul' is considered
synonymous with 'being,' we gain the Scriptural meaning of
nephesh
in
this text."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 223.
The fact that the words
nephesh
and
psuche
are translated "soul,"
plus so many other different ways, shows they cannot refer to a
specific conscious entity capable of surviving after death. The idea
that the "soul" can exist apart from the body is wholly foreign to the
Bible. Such a concept originated in the ancient pagan religious and
philosophical systems of Egypt and Greece then made its way into
Christian theology. In Scripture, the word
soul
generally means the
whole person as when Adam started living or when Jesus said that His
"soul," or His whole person, was sorrowful.
Probably most of the people you know who are not members of
your church believe Christians go to heaven when they die. Based
on today's lesson, how would you explain to them otherwise?
32
Tuesday
April 20
BODY (Jer. 17:5;
1 Cor. 15:50-52;
Gal. 5:16-26).
In the Old Testament, the word
flesh
is translated from the Hebrew
basar
and in the New Testament from the Greek
sarx. Basar
and
sarx
describe: (1) the body or physical parts of humans and animals (Gen.
9:4; 29:14; Luke 24:39; 1 Cor. 15:39); (2) living things in general
(Gen. 6:13; 1 Pet. 1:24); (3) material things contrasted with spiritual
things (Jer. 17:5; Zech. 2:13; Matt. 16:17; Mark 14:38; Luke 24:39);
(4) the carnal nature of humankind, which is contrary to spiritual
things or the Holy Spirit (Rom. 7:18; 8:3; Gal. 5:16-21); (5) an
obedient spirit, "a heart of flesh" (Ezek. 11:19; 36:26); men and
women's mortal nature (1 Cor. 15:50-52). (See
SDA Bible Dictionary,
p. 354.)
Both the Old and New Testaments view humans holistically, not as
independent parts labeled spirit, soul, and body. As the three Persons
of the Godhead function as One, so our spirit, soul, and body function
as one. The thinking part of humans—the mind—is usually translated
from the Hebrew
leb
and from the Greek
nous,
but also from numerous
other words such as
ruach
and
pneuma.
So Paul's prayer that the God
of peace would sanctify our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23) is a
prayer for God to sanctify the entire person.
Match the expressions to the following texts:
1.
Jer. 17:5
A. Flesh is mortal and corruptible
2.
Ezek. 11:19
B. Carnal nature is against the Spirit
3.
Ezek. 36:26
C. Flesh is not a source of strength
4.
1 Cor. 15:50-52
D. Heart of flesh means willing obedience
5.
Gal. 5:17
E. God will give us united hearts
All human beings are born in sin. And their entire nature has been
adversely affected by the virus of sin (Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Jer. 17:9;
Rom. 3:9-18).
Explain the conflict between flesh and Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26)
and the solution to the problem (Rom. 7:22-8:1-4).
33
Wednesday
April 21
IMMORTALITY (Rom. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:53, 54; 1 Tim. 6:16; 2 Tim.
1:10).
The word
immortality
comes from one Greek word meaning "death-
lessness" and from another Greek word meaning "incorruptibility." The
Bible describes God only as being immortal (1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16), while it
describes the Christians as seeking for immortality (Rom 2:7), which
they receive at His second coming (1 Cor. 15:53, 54).
How do the following verses describe God and humans in terms of
mortality and immortality?
Job 4:17
Rom. 2:5-7
Rom. 6:12
Rom. 8:11
1 Cor. 15:53, 54
2 Cor. 4:11
1 Tim. 6:13-16
2 Tim. 1:10
When Scripture speaks of God having immortality, it means that in
Him there is no decay and death and that He is the only and eternal
Source of life. If only God has immortality, we may gain it only as His
gracious gift to us. We are potentially immortal on account of Cre-
ation and redemption. But we become immortal only through God's
grace in accepting the gift of His Son. Immortality is conditional
because there is no eternal life except through Jesus Christ and the
eternal life He offers us. It is something we receive potentially when
we accept Christ as our personal Saviour and are "remade" by the
Holy Spirit. Immortality becomes our actual possession only at the
second coming of Christ. In this sense, immortality for the Christian is
both a present reality and a future gain.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does
not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11, 12,
NKJV). What is your personal testimony regarding eternal life?
34
Thursday
April 22
SPIRITUALITY (Rom. 7:14; 8:6; 1 Cor. 2:13, 14; 10:1-3;
Col. 3:16).
The Greek word for spiritual or spirituality is used in a variety of
ways: (1) to designate that which exists, including "spirit" such as
devils and angels (Eph. 6:12); (2) typologically to give spiritual mean-
ing to symbols (1 Cor. 10:1-4); (3) most commonly for that which is
attuned to God's redemptive plan through Christ and to the presence
of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1-9). (See
The International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia,
Edgar W. Smith Jr., ed. [Grand Rapids, Mich.:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988], vol. 4, p. 601.)
Describe what being spiritual means in the following texts:
Rom. 7:14
Rom. 8:6
1 Cor. 2:13,14
1
Cor. 10:1-3
Col. 3:16
What does it mean to be "spiritual" or to "grow spiritually"? It
means to become more and more like Jesus. We cleave to Him by
recognizing our helplessness then focusing on His character (Gal.
5:22, 23). By doing so, we become changed into His image. It also
means to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and
mind, and our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:15-28). Spirituality
then is the fruit of our lives, as we have committed them to God, who
loves us with an everlasting love.
"When Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity to
Himself by a tie of love that can never be broken by any power save the
choice of man himself. Satan will constantly present allurements to
induce us to break that tie—to choose to separate ourselves from
Christ. . . . But let us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will
preserve us. Looking unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out
of His hand. In constantly beholding Him, we 'are changed into the
same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'
2 Corinthians
3:18."—Steps to Christ,
p. 72.
Let the following be your daily prayer: " 'Take me, 0 Lord,
as wholly Thine, I lay all my plans at Thy feet.'
"—Steps to
Christ,
p. 70.
35
Friday
April 23
FURTHER STUDY:
Review this week's Memory Text,
1 Thessalonians 5:23. What significance do you see in Paul's se-
quence of first the spirit, then the soul, then the body?
For more on what it means to be spiritual, read
Steps to Christ,
"Growing Up Into Christ," pp. 67-75.
Many Christians believe that the soul is an entity capable of existing
without a body. Others are beginning to believe in the transmigration of
the soul.
One denomination teaches that we all existed in heaven as souls in
the presence of the Father and Son. We came to earth as humans to
experience sin and mortality, but again as souls we will go back to
heaven. The earthly experience is necessary for our future in heaven,
where we can advance to a higher level of being gods.
Eastern religions, which are becoming more and more acceptable in
industrialized countries, often color their belief in the transmigration of
souls with hopes for self-development. According to the Law of Karma,
men and women are compelled to come back and relive their lives
according to cosmic justice, which dictates either a higher or lower
existence, depending on the life they lived. After repeatedly working out
their problems in previous lives, they finally become self-redeemed.
For further information regarding the above subjects, see Douglas
R. Groothuis,
Unmasking the New Age
(Downer's Grove, Illinois:
InterVarsity Press, 1968), pp. 150, 151 and Ed Decker and Dave Hunt,
The God Makers
(Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House Publishers, 1984), pp.
22-48.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
I. After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer this
week's Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson? Use the outline
you developed to help you.
2. A living person is not made of independent parts tempo-
rarily connected but consists of one indivisible whole. How
would you contrast the truth of this to the deception of
dualism?
SUMMARY:
Humans were created by God to have a soul, body, and
spirit. No entity is capable of living on its own. All three work
together, and not one of them is excluded from the process of spiritual
growth.
36
The Outcast
Charlotte Ishkanian
Kohila (KO-he-la) was just 8 years old when her mother became
ill with cancer. A pastor from a local Christian congregation met
the family and learned of Mother's illness. He offered to pray for
Mother. The family, grasping at any straw of hope, began attending
the Christian church. But when Mother died, Kohila's father re-
verted to Hinduism and resumed smoking and other bad habits that
he had once enjoyed.
A young Adventist pastor came to town and met Kohila's father.
He invited him to study the Bible and attend evangelistic meetings
nearby. Father agreed, and after five months, he accepted Jesus Christ
into his life and prepared for baptism.
The pastor suggested that Kohila and her sister Jothi should not
remain at home without a mother. He helped Father enroll them in
Thomas Higher Secondary School, a boarding school in southern
India.
The community members were upset that Kohila's father had
become an Adventist. They beat him up and excommunicated him
from the village. He was not allowed to take water from the public
well, buy from the village shops, or work on the farms belonging to
villagers. Father faced starvation.
A Muslim man gave him rice and hired him to work on his land
so he could provide food for his family. Kohila's two older sisters
and their husbands also helped their father with food and a little
money. For six years the villagers ostracized him.
When another Adventist pastor came to the village, the villagers
beat him. They complained to the police that the Adventists were
disturbing the people. But after the police investigated, they told
the villagers, "You have your Hindu temple; let these people have
their religious faith. Leave them alone." The persecution finally
relaxed, and now Kohila's father can work
and buy in the village.
Kohila's faith has grown as she has seen
how God preserved her family during diffi-
cult times. She plans to be baptized at the
end of this year.
Kohila (KO-he-la) Ramayah is 17 years old
and will soon complete her secondary school
studies. She would like to study at Spicer
Memorial College.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
,./
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
37
Lesson 5
Apri124-30
The Origin of Sin
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-
19; Rev. 12:7-9.
MEMORY TEXT: "And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of
the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Revelation
12:11, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
What are the two main mysteries in the Bible?
How does each mystery affect the nature of humankind? And what are
the results of each mystery?
BIBLICAL PICTURES OF LUCIFER.
From Scripture, we have only
glimpses into the existence of Satan as Lucifer, the mighty angel, the
covering cherub, standing in the presence of God. But we have ample
information about the devastating effects of sin on the human race, not
to mention on the universe, and the pain it has brought to the heart of
God.
We need always to remember that while the words of Scripture are
those of the writers, it was the Holy Spirit who planned and unified the
Scriptures in all essential points, including the history of Lucifer. Also,
it was the Holy Spirit who determined when, how, and by whom the
revelation should be given.
The prophecy about the king of Tyre also represents the history of
the real king of Tyre, who was Satan himself. The prince of Tyre had so
remarkably imitated the example of his leader, the devil, that he was
controlled by the same principles as Satan. (See
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 4, p. 675.)
38
Sunday
April 25
THE KING OF BABYLON (Isa. 14:12-15; Dan. 4:18-37).
Explain why the passage concerning the fall of Lucifer in Isaiah
14:12-15 appears in the middle of a chapter dealing with the fall of the
king of Babylon.
It is quite appropriate to apply the language addressed to the king of
Babylon to Satan, "for the pride of the king of Babylon was truly
satanic. When Satan works his malign will through rulers of this world,
he reproduces his own wicked qualities in them so that they become
virtual shadows of which he is the substance." This passage clearly
points to Satan in the same way the kings of the line of David point to
Christ.—The
Expositor's Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 105.
Compare Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the tree (Dan. 4:1-37) to
Lucifer's pride mentioned in Isaiah 14:12-15.
Both the king of Babylon and Satan, the king of spiritual Babylon,
were filled with the same pride and turned against God. The king of
Babylon was warned about his pride in a dream. He was told he would
be cut down unless he "broke off his sins by being righteous and by
showing mercy to the poor" (Dan. 4:27). But one year later Nebuchadnezzar
said with pride, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal
dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" (v. 30).
Then, however, after losing his throne for seven years, he became king
again and praised God and "honored Him who lives forever" (v. 34).
Unfortunately, Lucifer did not repent.
Contrast the unyielding pride of Satan (Isa. 14:13, 14) with the
humility of Christ (Matt. 20:28; Phil. 2:5-11).
"Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never
have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most
High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God's power,
but not His character."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 435.
What do you desire most? Why is it wrong to desire God's power as
Lucifer did?
What relationship should there be between wanting God's power
and His character? How is God's character a part of His power?
39
Monday
April 26
WAR IN HEAVEN (Rev. 12:7-9).
Describe the outcome of the war in heaven between Michael and the
dragon. Rev. 12:7-9. Show from the following texts that Michael is
another name for the Son of God. Dan. 10:13; 12:1; John 5:25;
1 Thess. 4:16, 17; Jude 9.
The word
archangel
comes from the Greek word meaning "chief
angel," "first angel," or "high angel." It can be translated "chief of the
angels" since according to the above texts, Michael is another name for
Christ.
What does the following text imply about the kind of behavior that
led to Satan's expulsion from heaven? John 8:44.
"Lucifer's covert actions blinded many angels to God's love. The
resulting discontent and disloyalty to God's government grew until
one-third of the angelic host joined him in rebellion (Rev. 12:4). The
tranquility of God's kingdom was shattered and 'war broke out in
heaven' (Rev. 12:7). The celestial warfare issued in Satan, depicted as
the great dragon, the ancient serpent, and the devil, being 'cast to the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him' (Rev.
12:9)."—Seventh-
day Adventists Believe . . . ,
p. 100.
Underline the false reasoning of Satan in the following quotation:
"He began to insinuate doubts concerning the laws that governed
heavenly beings, intimating that though laws might be necessary for
the inhabitants of the worlds, angels, being more exalted, needed no
such restraint, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide. They were
not beings that could bring dishonor to God; all their thoughts were
holy; it was no more possible for them than for God himself to err."
—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 37.
What examples of false reasoning can you think of? Would the
belief "once saved always saved" be based on false reasoning? Explain.
Can you think of times when you used false reasoning to
argue your position, either for God or away from Him? What
were the results of your reasoning?
40
Tuesday
April
27
THE SEEDS OF SIN (Matt. 13:36-43).
Lucifer used the same subtlety in the Garden of Eden to lead humans
into sin that he used in heaven with the angels. Those seeds sown in
the hearts of Adam and Eve soon sprouted and produced a harvest of
false worship, hatred, and murder (Gen. 4:1-8). As the years passed, sin
intensified as did its tragic consequences.
Identify the sin or sins that brought on the following tragedies:
Genesis 4:1-8
Genesis 6:1-8
Genesis 11:1-8
Genesis 19:1-29
How does Hosea's prophecy against Israel in Hosea 8:7 explain the
increasing nature of sin? Compare this passage with Psalm 126:6,
2 Corinthians 9:6, and Galatians 6:7.
Hosea is warning Israel of coming destruction because of their
continued rebelliousness. Using agricultural metaphors, Hosea tells
them that they will reap not only disappointment and utter want but
distress and trouble and finally be swallowed up by Assyria and scat-
tered among the surrounding nations.
There is a cumulative quality in evil. The seeds of sin we sow are
alive and produce a harvest (Matt. 13:36-43). Unfortunately, we have a
strong tendency to ignore the fact that we live in a moral universe in
which justice, while blended with mercy, must be carried out to maintain
the kind of society that such a universe demands. When the privileged
abuse their privilege, when the wealthy squander their wealth while
ignoring those in need, when the powerful misuse their power, trouble
lies ahead. Continued and prolonged abuse sets the stage for tragedy.
—The Interpreter's Bible
(New York, NY: Abingdon Press, 1956),
vol. 11, pp. 649, 650.
We witness the tragic results of sin in the death of Jesus, who gave
His life to contain and eventually eradicate sin. Soon there will be a
new heaven and a new earth where dwells righteousness. Spend some
thoughtful minutes just now considering the Cross and the new heaven
and new earth which you will be able to enjoy as a result.
41
Wednesday
April 28
DEFINING SIN (Rom. 3:20; 7:7-12; 14:23; 1 John
3:4).
The Old Testament defines sin in broad strokes. The New Testament
defines it more precisely. The prophets of Israel speak of sin as a
rupture of a personal relationship with God, a betrayal of His trust, the
breaking of the covenant He made with us. We become most aware of
sin and our own sinfulness in the presence of the holy God (Isa. 6:5; Ps.
51:1-9). For Paul, sin is not only a conscious transgression, it is a
malignant condition of the human heart. (See
Evangelical Dictionary
of Theology,
p. 1012.)
What is your understanding of Romans 3:20 in the light of Paul's
experience in 7:7-12?
Romans 7:8.
"Paul personifies sin as a principle and power antago-
nistic to the law of God. . . . Sin is represented in the New Testament
as an enemy that is ever seeking to bring about our ruin and takes
every occasion to accomplish it. It is described as surrounding and
besetting us (Heb. 12:1), bringing us into bondage (Rom. 6:12), en-
ticing us, and thus working our death (James 1:14,
15)."—SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 549.
Paul states unequivocally that without God's law, seen in nature
(Rom. 1:18-21) or written (Rom. 2:12-16), there would be no sin (Rom.
5:12, 13). John echoes Paul when he says, "Everyone who sins breaks
the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4, NIV).
Reconcile Paul's definition of sin in Romans 3:20 with his defini-
tion in 14:23.
Describe the relationship between faith and law.
The essence of sin is the absence of faith, or not trusting what God
says. But the law gives an advantage to faith, for it provides us with a
knowledge of sin we do not see in nature alone (Rom. 3:1-4). Faith and
works are related in that we show our faith in what God says by what we
do (James 2:17-20). Disobedience is unbelief. But true faith always leads
to an obedience that serves as a witness to our trust in God.
A friend believes your Sabbath keeping is
quite legalistic.
Based on John 14:15
and 15:14,
how
would you explain to this
person that obedience to God's commands is not legalism?
42
Thursday
April 29
THE ERADICATION OF SIN (Gen. 3:15; John 3:14,15; 2 Cor. 5:21;
Heb. 9:23-28).
Define the word
seed
as used in Genesis 3:15. Then compare its
use in that verse with its use in Galatians 3:16.
The serpent is only able to "bruise" the heel of the seed. But the
"seed" of the woman is able to "crush" the serpent's head. Bruising is
temporary, while the crushing is permanent. In this one verse is com-
pressed the entire record of the great controversy between Christ and
Satan, which began in heaven and will terminate on earth (Rev. 20:10).
The critical battle was fought while Christ was on earth and culminated
in the defeat of Satan at Calvary (Heb. 2:14). Christ did not emerge from
this battle unscathed. The nail marks in His hands and feet will be with
Him forever (Zech. 13:6). But from Calvary on, the demise of Satan was
certain (Rev. 12:12). (See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1,
p. 233.)
When speaking to Nicodemus in John 3:14 and 15, to what did
Jesus compare His mission? What did He expect Nicodemus to under-
stand from this? Num. 21:4-9; John 12:32. Relate your conclusion to
2 Corinthians 5:21.
In the first half of 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul speaks of three aspects of
the atonement: (1) Christ was treated as if He were a sinner when He
bore on the cross the penalty and the guilt of sin; (2) Christ assumed
human nature without its sin; (3) Christ became a sacrifice for sin. The
first aspect speaks of substitution, the second of identification, the
third of sacrifice. So completely did the sinless Christ—impeccably
pure inwardly and outwardly—identify with the sinner and assume his
sins that Paul could profoundly say, "God made Him to be sin for us."
In the second half of this verse, the sinner receives a right standing
before God on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ and actually shares the
righteousness that characterized God Himself. (See
The Expositor's
Bible Commentary, vol.
10, pp. 354, 355.)
Describe how complete Christ's sacrifice is and how it
relates to
His second coming. Hebrews 9:23-28 will help you.
How would you explain to a friend the manner in which Jesus
is able to counteract Satan's system and accusations?
43
Friday
April 30
FURTHER STUDY: Pride was the downfall of Satan and, therefore,
the soil in which sin was cultivated. Read more about pride in the
following verses: Prov. 6:16, 17; 8:13; 15:25; 16:5; 26:12; 29:23; Mal.
4:1; Luke 18: 9-14; 2 Tim. 3:1-4; James 4:6; 1 John 2:16.
Read
The Great Controversy,
"The Origin of Evil, pp. 492-504 and
"Enmity between Man and Satan," pp. 505-510.
Karl Menninger, in his book
Whatever Became of Sin?
(New York:
Hawthorn Books, 1973), challenges us not to paint over sin by calling it
what it is not. He expresses his concern over the reluctance of the
helping professions to call sin by its rightful name because it brings
God into the picture and holds people accountable for certain behav-
iors, which by nature, they are reluctant to assume. Consequently, our
understanding of sin has eroded and continues to do so. Crime has
been called a sickness, alcoholism a disease, and assaults on others
antisocial behavior. Such categorizing absolves people from acknowl-
edging that they also are sinning against God.
It is still true that "the greatest want of the world is the want of
men,—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost
souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right
name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the
pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall."
—Education,
p. 57.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
Do you think God knew beforehand what Satan would do? If so,
why did He allow him to do what he did?
2.
Why do you think God allowed sin to continue as long as it has,
causing such tremendous suffering to the human race? Do you
think Jesus could have come earlier in the stream of time to
redeem us? Why didn't He?
SUMMARY:
Scripture tells us that the mystery of sin began in the
presence of God through a being called Lucifer. This resulted in a war
in which God dismissed Lucifer from heaven. Through Lucifer, sin
was transferred to this planet and became part of human nature. The
consequences of sin are seen not only in the tragedies which followed
but especially in the death of Christ, who characterizes the mystery of
Godliness. While waiting for Him to return, we demonstrate our faith
in God through obedience.
44
Dining-Car Evangelism
J. H. Zachary
Larissa Holapova (Ho-LAH-poh-vah) grew up in Tashkent, one
of the Muslim Republics of the former Soviet Union. While at-
tending the Adventist Seminary in Zaoksky, Russia, she partici-
pated in an evangelistic series. As she watched people's interest in
the gospel grow into conviction, and conviction lead to baptism,
she dedicated her life to the service of God.
During vacation she planned to visit her mother in Tashkent, a
three-day trip by train. As she prepared for the trip she wondered,
Could I preach the gospel on the train?
It would be a challenge,
because most of the passengers would be Muslims. She prayed
about her idea and shared it with her friends. Some of them ques-
tioned her plan, but the idea persisted.
She filled her suitcases with Bibles and literature. After board-
ing the train, she found the head conductor and asked if she could
rent the dining car between meals. But when he learned that she
planned to teach the people about the similarities between the
Bible and the Koran, the conductor refused to let her use the car.
Larisa tried another tactic. She walked through the dining car
carrying her Bible. Some passengers noticed and asked her, "What
is this book that you are carrying?" She told them it was a Bible. A
man in a railroad uniform said, "Please, tell us about the Bible."
Larissa answered sorrowfully, "But the head conductor will not
let me rent the dining car to teach about the Bible and the Koran."
"I am the director of this dining hall," the uniformed man
answered. "I say you may use the car between meals to speak."
With a prayer in her heart Larissa began to speak. The car soon
filled with people. They were surprised to learn that the Bible and
the Koran contained many similarities. Between Larissa's speak-
ing appointments the people came to her compartment to talk to
her about God. Their interest in God's Word
thrilled her. She is determined to return to
her homeland in Tashkent to share the truths
she loves with the people there.
Larissa Holapova (left) continues her studies
at the Adventist seminary in Zaoksky, Russian
Federation. J. H. Zachary is international
evangelism coordinator for The Quiet Hour in
Redlands, California.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
45
Lesson 6
May 1-7
The Fall
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Gen. 1:26,
27; 3:1-8; Isa. 1:1-6;
John 1:11-13.
MEMORY TEXT: "But as many as received Him, to them He
gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe
in His name" (John 1:12, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
How did the entrance of sin affect human na-
ture? Can the original state of human beings be regained? If so, how?
GOD'S PLAN.
As we have studied previously this quarter, God
created women and men in His own image, intending that they reflect
His attributes, mirror His love and kindness, and govern this planet with
the same care He would. But after Lucifer was cast out of heaven, he
determined to ruin God's lovely creation.
In the book
Education,
page 17, we read that "every human being,
created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of
the Creator—individuality, power to think and to do." How have
Satan's efforts undermined your individuality, your power to think
and to do? As you study this week's lesson, ask yourself this question
as it relates to you personally. But don't just leave it there. Also ask
yourself how you can resist Satan's efforts to make sure you are not
reflecting your Creator. It is a battle for the human heart and destiny.
Satan's plan is to plunge people further into their fallen state, leading
them to their eternal destruction. God's plan is to help them regain
what they had lost and ultimately be restored to His image.
46
Sunday
May 2
SATAN'S ANGER (Gen. 3:1-7; 1 Pet. 5:7, 8; Rev. 12:10-12).
Why was Satan
so angry
with the
human race?
1 Pet.
5:7, 8; Rev.
12:10-12.
Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin that he might secure their
cooperation and continue the warfare against Christ that he had begun
in heaven.
"The trial of our first parents was permitted as a test of their loyalty
and love. This test was essential to their spiritual development, to the
formation of character. Eternal happiness would have been the result
for them if they had come out of the test unscathed."—SDA
Bible
Commentary, vol. 1,
p. 229.
Read Genesis 3:15. Explain what it means to "put enmity" in men
and women. What is the source of that enmity?
It is
the grace of Christ that implants enmity in the soul against
Satan. Without this grace and renewing power, we would be willing
captives of Satan, ever ready to do his bidding. But God's grace makes
us hate sin and any form of inhumanity, thus creating conflict between
good and evil.
"God's message brought encouragement because it announced that
though Satan had brought humanity under his evil spell, ultimately he
would be defeated. The covenant was made between God and human-
ity. First God promised through His grace a bulwark against sin. He
would create a hatred between the serpent and the woman; between
Satan's followers and God's people. This would disrupt man's rela-
tionship with Satan and open the way for a renewed relationship with
God . . . All who accept God's offer of grace will know an enmity
against sin that will make them successful in the battle with Satan.
Through faith they will share in the Saviour's victory at Calvary."
—Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . ,
p. 93.
Read Romans 16:20. At first it seems strange that such a thing as
enmity could be a reason for hope, a vehicle through which God's grace
can work. But such is the nature of God's promise to us in Genesis
3:15. How has the enmity between Satan and God's followers "opened
the way for a renewed relationship" between God and yourself?
How has this enmity helped you learn more about God's grace?
47
Monday
May 3
THE IMAGE OF ADAM (Gen. 5:1-5; 6:1-5; Rom. 3:9-26).
Explain the difference between Adam and Eve being created in the
"image of God" and Seth being born "in their own image." Gen.
5:1-5.
While Adam was created in the "likeness" or "image" of God, Adam
and Eve had children "after their own likeness." Seth did not inherit the
natural goodness with which his parents were created. Instead, he
inherited their sinful human nature. But because of the grace of the
promised Redeemer, Seth was different from his older brother Cain.
Soon there was a marked distinction between those who were subject to
God and those who were not.
Scripture teaches that children inevitably suffer the consequences of
the sins of their parents. But they are not held guilty or punished for the
parents' sins, except as they participate in them. It is usually the case that
children walk in the footsteps of their parents and in this sense, by
inheritance and example, they partake of their parents' sins. Perverted
appetites, corrupted morals, wrong tendencies, as well as disease and
degeneracy are passed on from parents to their children. However, in this
moral darkness shines the light of Jesus Christ, who makes His grace
available to everyone who comes into the world (John 1:9).
How would you apply the second commandment to the degeneration
of the human race? Exod. 20:4-6 (also see Ezek. 18:1-18; 2 Tim.
3:13; Rom. 5:17-21).
"God appeals to us to put Him before all else, to put Him first in our
affections and in our lives in harmony with our Lord's injunction in the
sermon on the mount (Matt. 6:33). Mere belief alone will not do, nor
even the acknowledgment that He is the one and only God. We owe
wholehearted allegiance and devotion to Him as a personal Being whom
it is our privilege to know, to love, and trust, and with whom we may
have blessed fellowship. Dependence upon something else than God,
whether it be wealth, knowledge, position, or friends, places us in
peril."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 602.
Consider your wealth, knowledge, position, or friends. How might
you be dependent upon them?
If you feel you are more dependent on the people
you know than
you are on God, what can you do to remedy the situation?
48
Tuesday
May 4
THE SIN WITHIN (Rom. 7:7-15).
Describe what Paul said about himself prior
to his conversion. Acts
26:1-4; Phil. 3:1-6.
Paul came from the tribe of Benjamin, which gave Israel its first
king. Being a Jew by birth, he went through the covenant rite of
circumcision at the proper age, was educated under the great teacher
Gamaliel, outstripped his contemporaries in the knowledge and prac-
tice of the law, and eventually became a member of the Sanhedrin, the
highest Jewish court. At that point in his life, Paul believed that
righteousness equaled obedience to the law, "not only the written law
with its 613 precepts but the oral tradition, transmitted by generations
of rabbis." According to Paul's post-conversion assessment of him-
self, as a Pharisee he thought of himself as blameless, a Hebrew of the
Hebrews. (See
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,
Edgar
W. Smith, Jr., ed. [Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub-
lishing Company,1986], vol. 3, p. 710.)
Explain why God's law convicted Paul that he was a sinner. Rom.
7:7-12.
The law produces a consciousness of sin, particularly the tenth com-
mandment, "Thou shalt not covet. . . ." Did Paul select one of the
commandments at random just as an illustration of how sin convicted
him? No. To "covet" means to "desire." And through the conviction
of the Holy Spirit, Paul discovered that he was doing the right
thing—eagerly obeying God—for the wrong reason. While his outward
actions appeared to be flawless, his motives were distorted. The tenth
commandment unifies the law by evaluating our desires in relation to
each of the other nine. Jesus made this point quite clear when He said
that hatred is only a preliminary step to murder, desire is the precursor to
adultery, and that the absence of positive action toward one's neighbor
breaks the intent of the law (Matt. 5:21-48). There is only a short step
between desire and action. The only missing ingredient is opportunity
with immunity. In this sense, Jesus calls us to a most radical kind of
obedience, an obedience that reaches into our very hearts.
Think it through: Is it possible you might be keeping the
commandment to accumulate merit without realizing it? If so,
what can you do about it?
49
Wednesday
May 5
CONFLICT (Matt. 16:24-26; Gal. 5:17; Rom. 7:13-24).
Explain what Jesus meant in Matthew 16:24-26 when He said
we should take up our cross and follow Him.
To put God first in our lives is not always easy. Again and again, we
will have to decide to do so, especially when we are faced with tempta-
tions. There is no genuine faith without sacrifice of some kind. If God
could have resolved the sin problem any other way besides Calvary, He
would have done so. Yes, discipleship is costly. We will always struggle
between comfort and sacrifice, between needs and wants, between
what is legitimate for us to do and what is not legitimate for us to do.
Such was Paul's experience.
Explain the experience of Paul as he enlarges upon it in Romans
7:13-24.
Do these verses refer to his preconversion experience, post-
conversion experience, or both? Explain your answer.
There is no doubt Paul was a man of conflict, possessing the same
sinful human nature we all possess. He was very much aware of the
sacrifice and discipline it took to conform to the legalistic standards of
the Pharisees and later to the spiritual standard of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Before his conversion, his zeal for God, as he understood it, caused
him to persecute the church. He thought he was doing what was right
but later discovered he was not. After his conversion, and in spite of his
zeal for Christ, he found that he still had not attained (Phil. 3:12-14).
Paul was aware of the fact that while his inner conflict was resolved
"in Christ," he was still "in the flesh." Though Christ has fought and
won the decisive battle between good and evil, the war will continue
until He returns triumphantly and "delivers the kingdom to the Father."
Never think that because we stumble along our Christian walk, our
best is not good enough. God loves us. He gave His Son to die for us.
We will never live long enough to be good enough to be saved. We are
saved by faith in Jesus Christ, who alone was "good enough" and
whose perfect obedience is credited to us free of charge. We respond in
grateful obedience, not to be saved but because we are saved, because
Christ died to save us.
That
is the good news of the gospel.
Despite the stumblings and falls in our Christian walk, what rich
promise does Christ offer in Jude 24, 25 to those who lean on Him?
50
Thursday
May 6
RESOLUTION (Rom. 7:25-8:5; John 14:15-18).
Describe how Paul resolved the conflict of sin within himself.
Rom. 7:25-8:5.
Paul's cry of despair hardly prepares us for the triumphant pro-
nouncement that follows. While he is aware of the fact that his sinful
human nature will always be with him, he has made up his mind to be a
joyful slave of Christ. He recognizes that even though the law of sin still
operates in fallen human nature, it is superseded by the law of the Holy
Spirit, whose presence frees us from the inner compulsion to serve self.
He resolves the conflict within himself by focusing on Christ and the
truth that there is no condemnation to those who walk not according to
the dictates of the "flesh" but according to the guidance of the Spirit.
Discuss how we need to balance what Paul says about "walking
in the Spirit" with what he says about it in Galatians 5:16-26 and
with what Jesus says about the function of the Holy Spirit.
Explain what Jesus had in mind when He referred to the Holy Spirit
as a Helper. John 14:15-19; 16:7-13. How is the Holy Spirit to help us?
The Greek word
comforter
is variously translated as "helper," "one
who stands beside us," and one "who is called beside us." In the latter
sense, some have translated it "attorney." But the word reflects a more
active role than just merely comforting us or standing beside us. He
reproves us, which means "to exhort," "to convict," or "to convince."
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, convinces us of the need of right-
doing, and He will also tell us of things to come.
Implied in this verse is the promise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
(Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Eph. 4:7-16). One of these gifts is the gift of
prophecy through which we receive a glimpse of the future through
many passages in Paul's letters and the book of Revelation. In these
last days, He also has given us a view of the future through the gift of
prophecy given to Ellen White. This view is found in many of her
works, but especially in
The Great Controversy.
Gem thought: "When it is in the heart to obey God, when
efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition
and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the
deficiency with His own divine merit."—Ellen G. White,
Signs
of the Times,
June 16, 1890.
51
Friday
May 7
Further Study:
Compare Galatians 5:16-26 with Ephesians 4:17-
5:21. How does the Ephesians passage help us to resolve the conflict
between the law of sin and the law of the Holy Spirit that wars within
ourselves.
Read
The Story of Redemption,
"Temptation and Fall," pp. 32-41 and
"The Plan of Salvation," pp. 42-51.
"After the transgression of Adam, God might have destroyed every
opening bud and blooming flower, or He might have taken away their
fragrance, so grateful to the senses. In the earth seared and marred by
the curse, in the briers, the thistles, the thorns, the tares, we may read
the law of condemnation; but in the delicate color and perfume of the
flowers, we may learn that God still loves us, that His mercy is not
wholly withdrawn from the earth."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA
Bible Commentary, vol. 1,p.
1085.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
I. After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson?
2.
Someone defined "cheap grace" as justification of sin without
the justification of the sinner. What is your reaction?
3.
How do you relate this statement from
Steps to Christ,
page 64,
to the process of your spiritual growth? "The closer you come
to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for
your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen
in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is
evidence that Satan's delusions have lost their power; that the
vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you."
SUMMARY:
Satan marred God's plan for the human race when
Adam and Eve fell. They in turn passed on their sinful human nature
to their descendants. God does not condemn us for having such a
nature. Instead, He has made a way for us to escape it. That way is
through Jesus Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
52
Thirsty For Truth
Zeng Qing Peng
I am a high school teacher in China. During my free time I
enjoyed going to game parlors, where I could watch TV, play
mah
long
or poker, and listen to music. At first I enjoyed the music and
relaxed with the rhythm. But gradually the music and atmosphere
of these places began to depress me. It seemed that a voice told me,
"Leave this place and never return!"
I studied electronics and opened a home appliance repair shop.
But I still played poker with my friends. I did not realize it, but I
was addicted to gambling. I struggled with jealousy and hatred too.
And once, because of my gambling habit, I was even jailed. When I
got out of jail, my old friends laughed at me. But they still wanted
me to gamble with them.
I began to think seriously about life and realized how many
people in modern China are seeking after money. More and more
people have become self-centered and jealous. Principles of truth
and right living have become blurred in people's minds as they
have become slaves to money!
I knew what was right and wrong, and I decided to listen to my
conscience and follow its leading. But my good intentions left me
friendless and lonely. Then I remembered a gospel radio program I
had heard on shortwave radio.
I found the program on the dial and began listening. Hope
returned to my heart. Since October [1996] I have been listening to
the Voice of Hope radio from Hong Kong.
Ever since I began listening to these Christian programs my
spiritual life has taken shape and is growing. I am thrilled about the
privilege of knowing the Lord. Now I have hope and meaning in
my life. I would like to give thanks to Jesus first, but also to the
radio speakers and all of you who have made those wonderful
programs that proclaim the good news.
I believe in God; I am seeking truth; I am thirsty for truth. I want
to be baptized and cleansed by the Holy Spirit so that I can grow
strong in the Lord. With God's mighty power I believe I can be a
strength to others in chasing away evil. I yearn to help people to
walk in the path that leads to life eternal.
Zeng Qing Peng lives in China. He wrote his testimony in a letter to
Adventist World Radio. AWR broadcasts some 119 hours of Chinese-
language programs to East Asia every week.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
53
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Lesson 7
May 8-17
The Restoration of Human
Nature
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 1 Pet. 1:13-21.
MEMORY VERSE: "For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
When was the plan of salvation made? When
was it implemented?
HEART-WRENCHING DECISION.
God knew before He created
humans that they would sin. But if God drew back from the creation He
had planned because of the pain He knew would be His, He would not
be the God of love we witness in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. If
love is unwilling to continue loving in the face of suffering, then that
love is not the kind of love on which to build a relationship; but God
so loved the world that He gave His only Son to save the fallen race.
"Before the Father He [Jesus] pleaded in the sinner's behalf, while
the host of heaven awaited the result with an intensity of interest that
words cannot express. Long continued was that mysterious commun-
ing,—`the council of peace' (Zech. 6:13) for the fallen sons of men.
The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for
Christ is 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world' (Rev. 13:8);
yet it was a struggle, even with the King of the universe, to yield up his
Son to die for the guilty
race."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 63.
There is no stronger evidence than Calvary that God cares. As you
study this week's lesson, continually ask yourself how such love can
make a difference in your life.
56
Sunday
May 9
GOD'S GIFT (Rom. 6:16-23).
What happened to the human will the instant Adam and Eve sinned?
Rom. 6:16. Compare this verse with Luke 4:16-19.
As
soon as Adam and Eve sinned, their nature became evil. They
became slaves of Satan ready to do his bidding, not because they were
compelled to do so, but because they were willing to do so. However,
"the instant man accepted the temptations of Satan, and did the very
things God had said he should not do, Christ, the Son of God, stood
between the living and the dead, saying, 'Let the punishment fall on
Me.
-
-Ellen G. White Comments,
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
1, p. 1085.
When the image of God in Adam and Eve was shattered, they were
unable to go back to God on their own, regardless of any desire for
goodness that remained in them. If left alone they would have made an
alliance with Satan against God. But at that same instant, God reached
down and by His grace implanted in human nature a general revulsion
against Satan and sin. This in turn would enable women and men to
choose to accept the promise of salvation that would be consummated
by Jesus Christ when He would die in their place.
The various aspects of God's grace are:
General Grace—This
is the Creator's care that sustains all life and
exercises control over human society.
Prevenient Grace—This
is God's initiative on behalf of a sinful
race that enables them to choose to believe.
Salvation Grace—This
is the grace by which God saves, justifies,
sanctifies, and restores.
Sufficient Grace—God's
grace is adequate to save and is sufficient
for all our needs into eternity. (See P.E. Hughes,"Grace,"
Evangelical
Dictionary of Theology,
pp. 479-482.)
How does the story of the prodigal
son show us each of these
aspects of God's grace?
Make a list of moments when you personally experienced each of
these aspects of grace. Refer to it in times of discouragement. Plan to
share your list with someone when he or she comes to you discouraged.
Be able to explain to someone why people cannot say they are
Christians simply because they have the power to choose to be
saved.
57
Monday
May 10
PROMISE, REALITY, AND HOPE (Gen. 3:15; 22:1-18; Rom.
4:20-22; Gal. 3:16, 29; Heb. 6:17, 18; 2 Pet. 3:13).
All through the Old Testament, men and women of faith looked
forward to and longed for the Messiah. All through the Old Testament,
and still to Jewish people today, the Messiah was and is the Desire of all
Ages. To the Christian, Jesus Christ is the Messiah; and some day
people everywhere will see Him as the Desire of all Nations (Hag. 2:6, 7).
The entire plan of salvation is built on God's trustworthiness. The
message throughout Scripture is that we can trust God. What He says He
will do, and what He promises He will fulfill. The New Testament is the
story of the fulfillment of the promise. What was promised has now
happened. That is Paul's message. Reality has broken into the stream of
history. Christ has come, died, and risen again. According to His prom-
ise, we can look for a new heaven and a new earth.
Old Testament
The Messiah will come.
Sins will be paid for.
Redemption is based on promise.
Old Testament
Faith meant accepting
the promise of the future.
They looked forward to Christ's
first/second coming.
Assurance came from God's
truthfulness.
New
Testament
The Messiah has come.
Sins have been paid for.
Redemption is based on
reality.
New Testament
Faith means accepting the
promise fulfilled.
The saints are looking
forward to Christ's
second coming.
Assurance comes from
God's truthfulness.
What understanding of the need of the human condition is common
to the following texts? Heb. 6:19, 20; Titus 2:13; Rom. 5:1, 2; 8:18-25;
1 Cor. 13:13.
Within the human heart there is a divinely implanted restlessness.
As Augustine said, "Our souls are restless until we find our rest in
Thee." Not only human nature but all of creation groans for the
restoration promised in Christ Jesus. This is what gives us security,
confidence, perseverence, and hope. Without this quartet, we find
ourselves in despair. But praise God! We have been redeemed.
Out of what present despair can security, confidence,
perseverence, and hope in God's promise of salvation lift you?
58
Tuesday
May 11
COSTLY BUT FREE (Isa. 55:1; Matt. 22:1-14; Rom. 3:23, 24; Eph.
2:8, 9; Rev. 22:17).
The parable in Matthew 22:1-14 is based on two parables the rabbis
often told. Read all three parables. (The parables the rabbis told
immediately follow this question.) Now compare the parable Jesus
told with the two the rabbis told. What is the focus of Jesus'
parable regarding the robe?
What is the focus of the rabbis' parables regarding
the robe?
The rabbis' first parable tells of a king who invited guests to a feast
without giving them the exact date. But he did tell them they must wash,
anoint, and clothe themselves so they would be ready when his final
summons came. Those who were wise immediately prepared and waited
at the palace door. The foolish guests thought they had ample time
before the king would issue the final summons and felt they could
make the necessary preparations quickly. So they went about their
business. The final summons came suddenly. Because they were not
ready, the king did not allow them to enter.
The second rabbinical parable tells the story of how a king entrusted
his servants with royal robes to be worn when he would summon them
to come into his presence. The wise carefully stored these robes away
to preserve their loveliness. Those who were foolish wore their royal
robes to work. Thus they became soiled and stained. Suddenly the
summons came to return the robes to the king. The wise handed their
robes back to the king in their original beauty. The foolish gave them
back dirty. The king was angry and cast the foolish into prison.
—William Barclay,
The Gospel of Matthew,
vol. 2 (Philadelphia,
Penn.: The Westminster Press, 1955), pp. 296-298.
What understanding of human responsibility is common to the
following texts? Isa. 55:1; Rom. 3:23, 24; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rev. 22:7.
The Greek word translated in Romans 3:24 as "justified" is an expres-
sion used in courts of law. To justify someone was to treat that person
as innocent and acquit him or her. The point of this passage is that men
and women appear before God guilty, but He justifies them as being
innocent. (See Barclay,
The Letter to the Romans,
pp. 53, 54.)
When we claim Christ as our Saviour, God justifies us as being
innocent even though we are guilty. Does this mean He excuses sin?
59
Wednesday
May 12
HUMAN NATURE REMADE (Jer. 13:23; John 1:12, 13; 3:1-8;
2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:17-24; 1 Pet. 1:22, 23).
The new birth is not simply a new outlook on life, a recovery from
a traumatic physical, mental, or social experience followed by a new
beginning, or a change of habits, behavior, or career. The biblical
expression
new birth
has to do with our inner being and may involve
some, if not all, of the above. However, it concerns itself primarily with
our spiritual nature.
The Greek word translated
again
has three different meanings:
1.
a radical, complete change going back to the beginning;
2.
born a second time; and
3.
changed from above, from God.
At first glance, it seems that Nicodemus took the meaning of the
word
again
in its second sense. He had an inexpressible, unsatisfied
longing that he did not know how to satisfy in his heart. He knew he
needed a change. But that was as impossible as a grown man being
physically born again. He was up against an eternal problem: How can
people who want to change be changed when they cannot change
themselves? The answer Jesus gave was not new to the Jews or to the
Greeks. Using various expressions to convey the same idea, Paul speaks
of it throughout his epistles (Rom. 6:1-11; 1 Cor. 3:1, 2; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal.
6:15; Eph. 4:22-24; and it is found in Heb. 5:12-14). In fact, the concept
runs through the entire New Testament. (See Barclay,
The Gospel of
John,
[Philadelphia, Penn.: The Westminster Press, 1956], vol. 1, pp.
113-116.)
Explain the meaning of 2
Corinthians 5:17 in light of John 3:1-8.
Through the creative energy of the Holy Spirit, people who accept
Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord become "new crea-
tures." Their new nature is not the product of moral virtue inherent in a
human that simply requires development. Neither is this new nature
the product of desire or resolution to do right, the mental assent to
certain doctrines, nor a sorrow for wrongdoing. The new birth means
to be created anew in the likeness of Christ. (See
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 6, p. 868.)
Read the description of people before they are born again in
Galatians 5:19-21. Then read the description of people after
they are born again in
verses 22-26. Now
think of two or three
words that describe what the world could be if everyone were
born again.
60
Thursday
May 13
SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT (Mark 4:26-29;
1 Cor. 13:11; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Pet. 2:1-3).
In light of Mark 4:26-29, how do you understand the process of
spiritual growth and development?
The laws of nature apply to humans as well as to plants and animals.
The same laws that govern our physical growth and well-being govern
our spiritual development. The word
sanctification
means "to be set
apart," "to make holy." In this sense, we become saints as soon as we
accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Heb. 10:10; Luke 23:39-43).
The word
sanctification
also describes the process of becoming
more and more like Jesus. Each and every day of our lives we depend on
Him, lean on Him for help, especially in time of need (Heb. 4:15, 16).
Compare Philippians 1:6 with 2:12 in light of Galatians 4:1, 2. How
do you reconcile these two passages?
God is not a permissive, noncaring parent. Because God loves us He
disciplines us. He does not discipline us in order to make us persons He
can love. He loved us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8-10). God is
not against us but for us (John 3:17). He will do all in His power to make
us more and more like Himself. This was His goal when He created
Adam and Eve. He began this same process in us when we accepted
Christ not only as our Saviour but as Lord of our lives.
"God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their
character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined
and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but
notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and
practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become
transformed into His image."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 294.
Our human nature is such that God's discipline can cause pain,
confusion, and discouragement. When God disciplines you, what can
you do to prevent discouragement?
Explain how daily habits of prayer, Bible study, etc. can be
especially helpful to you in preventing feelings of melancholy
and depression that often beset you in times of discouragement.
What precious promises from the Holy Scriptures do you espe-
cially draw strength from during the dark periods of life?
61
Friday
May 14
FURTHER STUDY:
What is involved in spiritual growth? Are there
stages of faith as there are stages of physical development? What
stages of faith did Paul have? Or is there one stage that deepens? (See
Philippians 3:12-14.)
Read
The Sanctified Life,
"True and False Theories Contrasted," pp.
7-17.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would
you answer the
Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson?
2.
Discuss the thoughts contained in this paragraph. Do you agree
or disagree? Why, or why not? "In the Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus uses
teleios
to exhort believers to be perfect as
the Heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48). This use of the
future tense indicates a moral obligation, however, and not
an absolute perfection identical to that of God. Jesus is
emphasizing the need for having the right attitudes of love
which are acceptable to God, not the accomplishment of
perfect conduct."—"Perfection, Perfectionism,"
Evangeli-
cal Dictionary of Theology,
p. 839.
3.
Today we hear the expression "tough love" as contrasted with
permissive love. Why is the latter not true love? In what ways
does God show His "tough love"? What does such love
reveal about Him?
4.
What are some distinctions between absolute perfection and
relative perfection? How do you understand this statement from
Ellen White: "As God is perfect in His high sphere of ac-
tion, so man may be perfect in his human sphere"?—Coun-
sels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 365.
SUMMARY:
Even before Adam and Eve sinned, God had estab-
lished a plan that would save them. This plan proves His great love for
us. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, the plan of
salvation helps us to grow spiritually. Such growth essentially in-
volves developing a Christlike character.
62
A Happy Soul Winner
J. H. Zachary
Manju Bala is a happy Christian. For five years she attended an
Adventist School. Her Hindu parents were pleased with the high
level of moral training Manju was receiving. When Manju turned
11 she felt that she must make a decision. She carefully compared
her Hindu faith with what she was learning from the Bible in her
Christian school. She decided to follow Jesus.
She was baptized and began to share her new joy with her
brother and sister, Safus and Beauty. How happy she was when
they followed her in baptism. Manju prayed earnestly for her
mother and rejoiced when her mother made her decision for Jesus.
In 1995 Manju, then 16 years old, learned about the Sathsumila
Lay Training School in Bangladesh, where lay persons were trained
to share their faith more effectively. She enrolled in classes to
study health evangelism, small group ministries, and evangelism
methods for reaching Muslims and Hindus. When she completed
her studies, she was assigned to work in a village near the school.
Manju goes from home to home, talking with the farmers and
day laborers who live in the village, looking for people who are
interested in a better spiritual life. God is using her gentle ways and
her winning smile to open doors.
Her first efforts were directed to helping people stop smoking.
When she heard the excuse, "I have tried to stop, but I can't,"
Manju would say, "Please try one more time. I will pray to the
living God in heaven to help you put away this dangerous habit."
For several it worked.
As friendships develop Manju begins Bible studies. She uses an
old picture roll to illustrate Bible stories for her students as she
leads them through their Bible lessons.
By camp meeting time, five of Manju's Bible students had been
baptized, and three more were baptized during
camp meeting. Twenty-five others attend
her Bible classes and Sabbath services. When
asked if she needs anything, Manju smiled.
"Please pray for me. I would like to plant a
church this year."
Manju Bala (left) lives and works for God in
a village in Bangladesh. J. H. Zachary is
international evangelism coordinator for The
Quiet Hour, located in Redlands, California.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
63
Lesson 8
May 15-21
Condition in Death
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Eccles. 9:5, 6; John 11:11-
14; 1 Thess. 4:13-18.
MEMORY TEXT: "For the living know that they will die; but the
dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
What exactly does the Bible teach about what
happens to people when they die? Why is the correct belief regarding
this subject so important?
PROBLEMS WITH POPULAR BELIEFS.
Almost all Christians be-
lieve that immediately upon death the "soul" goes either to heaven,
purgatory, or a place called hell. While thinking that loved ones are in
heaven is very comforting, thinking that loved ones are in hell is not!
Therefore, many people are tempted to think their loved one is in
heaven anyway. After all, everyone has something good about him.
Another problem with thinking that the "soul" goes someplace
specific after death is that those who are supposedly in heaven can see
everything that is happening to the friends and family members they
left behind. Are the people in heaven really happy watching their loved
ones suffer without being able to do anything about it?
In the light of these problems, the biblical teaching that death is a
sleep can be comforting, despite the fact that losing someone to death
can be just as painful regardless of what one believes. There is always
the joy of looking forward to the coming of Jesus and the resurrection.
This belief is based on the promise of God in Scripture and filled with
the hope that only Christ can give.
64
Sunday
May 16
A CORE BELIEF (Matt. 24:4, 5,
24; 28:19, 20; Acts 20:27-30; 2 Tim.
3:16, 17).
In April 1848, James White and others met at Rocky Hill, Connecti-
cut, in the United States to encourage each other in the faith, to hammer
out further details of last-day prophecies, and to correct any errors in
their religious beliefs. Over the next few months, they met several times.
By September of that year, they had agreed upon eight points that would
later become part of the Seventh-day Adventists' belief system. (These
eight doctrines were in addition to the fundamental doctrines that make
up the Christian faith such as the virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death,
and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.)
The eight biblical doctrines they agreed on that would identify
them as Seventh-day Adventist Christians were: (1) the imminent,
personal, premillennial second advent; (2) the twofold ministry of
Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, the cleansing of which began in
1844; (3) the seventh-day Sabbath; (4) the spirit of prophecy as given
to Ellen White; (5) the three angels' messages; (6) conditional immor-
tality and death as a dreamless sleep; (7) the timing of the seven last
plagues; and (8) the final, complete extinction of the wicked after the
millennium.—R.W. Schwarz,
Light Bearers to the Remnant
(Nampa,
Idaho: Pacific Press® Pub. Assn., 1979), pp. 68, 69.
Why should a doctrine such as the state of the dead be one of the
pillars of the Adventist faith? Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 20:27-30; 2 Tim.
3:16, 17.
All scriptural teaching is important, especially on such subjects as
Creation, sin, salvation, and restoration. Included in these is the nature
of men and women, how God created them, for what purpose, what
happened to change their nature, how He saves them, what happens
when they die, and what are the prospects of their future. Together with
their related topics (for example: salvation would include the incarna-
tion, sinless life, death, and resurrection of Christ) are the core teach-
ings of the Christian faith. As we near the end of time, the doctrine of
the state of men and women in death becomes extremely important.
Through two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday
sacredness, Satan will succeed in bringing people under his decep-
tions. The belief in the immortality of the soul lays the foundation for
spiritualism and Sunday sacredness and shifts the center of authority
from Scripture to tradition (see
The Great Controversy,
p. 588).
How can you
share with others the biblical teaching of the "state of
the dead" in a kindly way, without offending their beliefs?
65
Monday
May 17
BIBLICAL EVIDENCE (Gen. 3:19; Job 14:21; Ps. 146:4; Eccles.
9:5, 6; Dan. 12:2; John 11:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:51-55).
Match the following phrases to the correct text:
1.
Ps. 146:4
A. Those sleeping in the dust
shall awake.
2.
Eccles. 9:5, 6
B. He is not dead, he's sleep-
ing.
3.
Dan. 12:2
C. The day we die our
thoughts perish.
4.
John 11:11-14
D. We shall not all sleep but
be changed.
5.
1 Cor. 15:51-55
E. The dead know nothing.
Show how Jesus' experience confirms the biblical evidence that the
dead rest in the grave until the resurrection. John 19:38-42; 20:11-
23.
There is no doubt that Jesus died (John 19:31-42). During the Sab-
bath, He rested in Joseph's tomb. His work done, He now slept the
peaceful sleep of death. He did not go to Paradise the day He died—
that was simply the day a promise was given to the thief who accepted
Him (Luke 23:43), for when He spoke to Mary on Sunday morning,
He said that He had not yet ascended to His Father (John 20:17).
Explain how the resurrection of Lazarus confirms the biblical evi-
dence that the dead sleep. John 11:1-44.
Martha did not believe her brother was in heaven, for she stated that
she did not expect to see him until the resurrection in the last day. Jesus
told her that He is the resurrection and the life. Then He raised Lazarus
from the dead. Nowhere in Scripture is there a recorded conversation
between Jesus and Lazarus, between Lazarus and his sisters about where
he had been or what he had seen, nor with the disciples or anyone in the
crowd who had seen him raised (John 11:17). This is a strong argument
from silence that the dead go nowhere and know nothing.
66
Tuesday
May 18
REALITY OR PARABLE? (Luke 16:19-31).
People who believe in the immortality of the soul and life immediately
after death offer Luke 16:19-21 as proof. Is this what the parable really
teaches? Several principles of biblical interpretation are especially helpful
here: (1) The place, circumstance, and persons to whom the parable is
spoken are keys to its meaning. (2) Because a parable usually illus-
trates one particular truth, no doctrine should be based on the parable.
(3) A parable reflects truth. It is not truth itself. Details of a parable are
important only as they help us understand the truth reflected in it. (4)
Knowledge of Jewish customs and ways of thinking gives us a clearer
understanding of the parable's meaning. (5) The parable should be
interpreted "in terms of the truth it is designed to teach, as set forth in
literal language in the immediate context and elsewhere in Scrip-
ture."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 204.
With these principles in mind, let us now take a closer look at the
parable of the rich man and Lazarus. First, many people in Jesus'
audience had come to believe in the conscious state of existence be-
tween death and the resurrection. This belief was not grounded in the
Old Testament but surfaced in Jewish writings after the Babylonian
exile and, by the time of Jesus, had become part of Jewish traditional
teaching. (See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 831.)
Second, this parable is the last in a series of five (Luke 15 and 16).
Because Jesus told these stories in response to the Pharisees' com-
plaint that He ate with sinners (15:2), each of them condemns the pride
and hypocrisy so prevalent among these religious leaders by informing
them that His kingdom "was more than form or ceremony; it was a
fellowship with God and
man."—Questions on Doctrines,
p. 549.
In particular, the rich man felt assured of his place because he was a
son of Abraham. Moreover, he probably believed that his wealth proved
his "good" standing before God. Indeed, there is nothing in the parable
to suggest he was a "bad" person. Why did he not even let Lazarus beg
at his gate? How like the Pharisees he was. He and they both believed
that who they were merited favor with God. The everlasting kingdom
belonged to such as Lazarus. The rich man, though claiming to be a son
of Abraham, was forever lost to God's kingdom.
Now list some of the points in the story that do not harmonize
with the rest of Scripture concerning its teaching on the state of the
dead. Note especially Luke 16:22, 23, 24, and 26.
How would you personally answer a friend who used Luke
16:19-31 to prove the immortality of the soul and immediate life
after death?
67
Wednesday
May 19
OTHER PROBLEM TEXTS (1 Cor. 15:35-52; 2 Cor. 5:1-8;
Rev. 6:9-11).
Explain the difference between a "natural" body and a "spiritual"
body. 1 Corinthians 15:35-52, John 20:24-29, Acts 1:9-11, and
Philippians 3:21 might help you.
"Paul is simply affirming that man's present body is unfit for en-
trance into the kingdom of God. That resurrected bodies will have flesh
and blood may reasonably be deduced from the fact that our new
bodies will be fashioned like unto the glorious resurrection body of
Christ (Phil. 3:20, 21), which consisted of 'flesh and bones' (Luke
24:39 . . .). It is further reasonable to conclude that the bodies of the
resurrected saints will not differ too greatly from the kind of body that
Adam possessed when he was first created (Gen. 2:7). If man had not
sinned, he doubtless would have retained that body forever."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 812.
Now read 2 Corinthians 5:8. What expressions in verses 4 and 5
clarify what Paul meant when he said he would rather be absent from
the body and present with the Lord?
"In verses 3, 4 Paul describes death as a state of being 'naked,' or
`unclothed.' He hopes, if at all possible, to avoid this intermediate state,
and ardently desires to be 'clothed' with his 'house . .. from heaven.' In
other words, he hopes to be translated without seeing death. . . .
Elsewhere (see on 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 2 Tim. 4:6-8;
etc.) Paul makes it certain that men are not 'clothed' with immortality
individually at death, but simultaneously at the resurrection of the
just."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 863.
Another problem verse is Revelation 6:9. Here we must remember
that Revelation is a composite of literal and symbolic expressions such
as the existence of real angels, a real Jesus, and a real new earth, on the
one hand, and angels riding horses across the earth on the other. In
light of such texts as Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, there can be no talking "souls"
in heaven, much less "souls" crying for vengeance. This is obviously
symbolic language used to convey a message to future martyrs that
justice and vindication would ultimately come. (See
SDA Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
7, pp. 777, 778.)
What does the correct interpretation of such difficult biblical
texts teach us about biblical interpretation in general?
68
Thursday
May 20
RESURRECTION AND TRANSLATION (1 Cor. 15:12-18; 51-55;
1 Thess. 4:15-17).
Rephrase the logic Paul uses in 1
Corinthians 15:12-18 to prove
the certainty of the resurrection.
The resurrection of Christ is the basis of our faith. If Christ had not
been innocent and free from sin, He would not have risen from the
grave. But Christ did rise from the dead. Therefore our faith is not in
vain but built on the certainty of a living Christ. As the angels said to
the women at the tomb, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:5, 6). And because He lives, we
shall live also (Rom. 8:11).
Explain how Paul's sequence of resurrection/translation in
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 fits into the doctrine of the state of the dead.
The word
prevent
as used in some translations means "to come
before" or "to precede." Paul is saying that the living saints will not
meet their Lord before those who are asleep in Christ. But all those who
believe in Christ will meet Him together. This verifies what we have
studied elsewhere about the state of those who have died "in Christ."
They are asleep, awaiting the coming of their Lord. (See
SDA Bible
Commentary, vol.
7, p. 248.)
Although Paul is speaking of the richness of the Christian life when
he says "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, the things which God has
prepared for those who love Him," it is also true that we cannot imagine
what God has in mind for us once we are home.
"There we shall know even as also we are known. There the love and
sympathies that God has planted in the soul will find truest and sweet-
est exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious
social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages,
the sacred fellowship that binds together 'the whole family in heaven
and earth,'—all are among the experiences of the hereafter.
"There will be music there, and song, such music and song as, save
in the visions of God, no mortal ear has heard or mind conceived. . . .
"All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's
children. With unutterable delight we shall enter into the joy and the
wisdom of unfallen
beings."—Education,
pp. 306, 307.
Describe what the resurrection will mean to you
and how real
you think
the
afterlife will be. 1 Cor.
2:9;
13:12;
Phil. 3:20, 21;
1 John 3:1,
2; Rev.
21:1-5.
69
Friday
May 21
FURTHER STUDY:
For additional texts regarding the study of the
human condition in death and the rewards Christ promises to the
faithful at the resurrection, see any or all of the following texts: Job
7:21; 14:14, 15; 17:13, 16; 19:25-27; 20:11; 21:26; Ps. 6:5; 17:15;
22:29; 30:9; 88:10; 104:29; 115:17; Eccles. 3:20; 9:10; Isa. 38:18, 19;
40:10; Matt. 16:27; 22:28-30; Luke 20:37; John 5:29; 6:39, 40; Acts
2:29; 1 Cor. 15:17, 18; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8;
Heb. 11:39, 40; 1 Pet. 3:21; Rev. 22:12.
Read
The Great Controversy,
"The First Great Deception," pp. 531-
550.
In his two-volume set entitled
The Conditionalist Faith of Our
Fathers,
published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association,
volume II, 1965, volume I, 1966, Le Roy Froom documents in over
two thousand pages the belief of numerous Christian scholars and
pastors throughout history who rejected the doctrine of the immortal-
ity of the soul. A condensed list appears in
Questions on Doctrines,
published by the Review and Herald in 1957, pages 567-609. Martin
Luther, for example, said that in the sleep of death, as in normal
physical sleep, there is complete unconsciousness of the condition of
death or of the passage of time. Death is a deep, sound, sweet sleep.
And the dead will remain asleep until the time of the Resurrection
when once more body and soul will come together (pp. 571, 572).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would
you answer
the Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson?
2.
Is it legitimate to aspire to immortality when Christ comes
again? However, how is believing oneself immortal, like
God is, the height of pride, presumption, and delusion?
3.
Most Christians believe that when they die they go directly
to heaven to receive their rewards. If that is so, why does
Jesus say in Revelation 22:12 that He will reward the saints
at His coming?
SUMMARY:
The Bible teaches that death is a sleep until the Resur-
rection. This faith has always been a hedge against spiritualism and
so-called appearances of dead loved ones and is so today. But the day
of resurrection is coming when all who are asleep in Christ will live
and those who are alive will be changed and forever they will be with
the Lord.
70
/MW
...
Train Up A Child
Charlotte Ishkanian
Ruth Wetzel is a widow living in northern Germany. For years she
cared for foster children. Most of the children came to her when they
were quite young, but one day a social worker told Ruth about a
teenage boy named Heinz who needed a home. He was having difficul-
ties in school and in the foster home where he had been staying. The
social worker asked Ruth to take him.
Ruth was not sure. A teenager could be difficult to work with, and
she had other children in her home. Ruth told the social worker that she
was an Adventist, and was away at church each Saturday from 8:00 to
2:00. German schools operated on Saturday mornings, and Ruth was
sure the authorities would not want Heinz to miss classes.
The social worker asked Ruth to think about it. A few days later the
social worker returned with permission for Ruth to take any child in her
care out of school on Saturdays to attend church with her. Ruth knew
God wanted her to take this boy.
Heinz lived with Ruth for two years. He attended church with her,
but never really showed an interest in religion. When he was 15 he left
her home to attend a technical school to study carpentry. Writing was
difficult for him, and he seldom wrote to her, but he visited her once or
twice a year. She was always glad to see him, and prayed for him every
day. She knew he was a troubled, lonely boy.
One day Heinz came to visit Ruth and asked her where the Adventist
church in his city was. Surprised, Ruth gave him the address.
Some time later a group of Pathfinders stayed with Ruth while they
toured the area. Heinz was visiting her at the time, and the Pathfinders
invited Ruth and Heinz to join them on Sabbath. The group's pastor
held a baptism that day and asked if anyone would like to prepare for
baptism. Heinz stood up! Ruth contacted a pastor from the area where
Heinz lived and asked him to visit Heinz. He did, and Heinz was
eventually baptized.
Ruth remembers that she almost did not
take this troubled teen into her home. But she
is so glad that God allowed her to care for him
and pray for him and love him for God.
Ruth Wetzel (left) lives in northern
Germany. Charlotte Ishkanian is editor of
Mission.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
71
Lesson 9
May 22-28
Invented by the Devil
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Eccles. 12:14; Matt. 12:33-37;
Acts 17:30, 31; Rev. 20:11-21:5.
MEMORY TEXT: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My
word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall
not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John
5:24, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
Where does the idea of hell and eternal torment
come from? What are the consequences of such a doctrine? How would
you prove to a friend that this doctrine is false?
DEVIL INSPIRED.
Once you believe in the immortality of persons
in the form of "spirits" and these "spirits" are wicked, what do you do
with them? Satan's answer? Hell. With this doctrine he tried to shift his
own cruel character onto our heavenly Father.
"After the Fall, Satan bade his angels make a special effort to incul-
cate the belief in man's natural immortality; and having induced the
people to receive this error, they were to lead them on to conclude that
the sinner would live in eternal misery. Now the prince of darkness . . .
represents God as a revengeful tyrant, declaring that He plunges into
hell all those who do not please Him... .
"How repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy, and even to
our sense of justice, is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented
with fire and brimstone in an eternally burning hell; that for the sins of
a brief earthly life they are to suffer torture as long as God shall live."
—The Great Controversy,
pp. 534, 535.
72
Sunday
May 23
TRADITION (Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 23:15, 33; Mark 7:6, 7;
2 Tim. 4:1-5).
The Hebrew word
sheol
and the Greek word
hades
are often trans-
lated "hell." The original words in both Testaments simply mean "death"
or "the grave." But throughout the centuries, the word
hell
has come
to mean a place of endless punishment for the wicked. As you read the
following verses with both meanings in mind, notice what a vast differ-
ence of interpretation there can be. "We have made a covenant with
death, and with hell we are at agreement" (Isa. 28:15). "He seeing this
before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
hell, neither his flesh did see corruption" (Acts 2:31).
The idea of a conscious state immediately after death began appearing
in Jewish literature after the 70 years captivity in Babylon. By the time of
Jesus, it had become part of Jewish tradition. (See
SDA Bible Commen-
tary, vol.
5, p. 831.) Such concepts, possibly from Babylon or Persia,
were embellished in later centuries by false interpretations of Scripture
within the Christian church. For most of the early church fathers, hell
served as a place for demons and impenitent sinners. In the Middle
Ages, people's imagination was spurred by Dante's
Inferno,
which said
that hell was in the fiery depths of the earth. Luther and Calvin rejected
many such portrayals but failed to reject the traditional teaching of
eternal punishment. (See
The International Standard Bible Encyclope-
dia,
Edgar W. Smith, Jr., ed. [Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1982], vol. 2, pp. 677-679.) The Roman Catholic
Church, as well as other Christian denominations, still teach that "souls"
eternally suffer the punishments of hell. However, there is an exception
to this. According to the Catholic faith, there is also a place called
purgatory where those who have committed "lesser" sins are purified by
fire before they go to heaven.
Discuss how a convert may become "twice the son of hell."
Matt. 15:1-20. Then list the areas of danger.
Jesus called the leaders of the people blind guides. If they were not
careful, He predicted both the people and their leaders would fall into
the ditch. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus invites His people everywhere,
especially those living in the last days, to buy eye salve that they might
see and understand. The mixture of scriptural teaching with human
traditions is what characterizes false religion (Rev. 17:1-6).
If Jesus were here today, what traditions that we hold on to
would He denounce?
73
Monday
May 24
BIBLICAL CLARITY (Neh. 8:1, 2, 8; Isa. 28:9, 10; John 16:13;
Acts 8:26-35).
One principle of biblical interpretation is to uphold the unity of
Scripture. This means not only accepting the Scripture as a whole but
also accepting the Bible as a unit, written by one Author, because all of
Scripture was given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). In practice,
this means we need to let the Bible in one place interpret what it means in
another, carefully comparing Scripture with Scripture.
Explain how the following texts in each group clarify each other: (1)
Matt. 25:41,46; 2 Thess.
1:7-9;
Jude 6,7; (2) Mark 9:43-48 and Jer.
17:27; (3) Isa. 66:22-24 and Mal. 4:1-3; (4) Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10; Exod.
12:24; 1 Sam. 1:22, 28; Jon. 1:17; 2:6.
Words like
everlasting,
or
eternal, and forever
are translated from a
Greek word meaning "lasting for an age," in the sense of being
continuous and not subject to change. Also, the word was used to
describe the tenure of an emperor who held office for life. Therefore, its
duration must be determined by nature of the person or thing it de-
scribes. Tiberius Caesar, for instance, ruled for 23 years. The emphasis
is on the permanency of the results, not on a process that continues
endlessly. Eternal fire would therefore mean that the results of it are
never to be reversed. It destroys most effectively. (See
SDA Bible
Commentary, vol.
5, pp. 512, 513; Matt. 3:12; 25:41; Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:6;
Jer. 17:27; 2 Chron. 36:19.)
The word used to describe a place of punishment is
geenna,
which is
the Greek form of
Ge Hinnom,
the Valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem.
Here the heathen sacrificed and burned their children to the god
Molech (2 Chron. 28:3; 31:1, 6). It also was known as the Valley of
Slaughter, where the dead bodies of slain Israelites were buried until
there was no more room, and the corpses that were not buried became
food for birds (Jer. 7:32, 33).
Tradition holds that later the Valley of Slaughter became a place
outside Jerusalem for burning rubbish and carcasses. This insight
clarifies what Jesus meant when He warned the scribes and Pharisees
about "unquenchable fire" and "everlasting punishment."
(See SDA
Bible Dictionary,
pp. 455, 456.)
Many people who believe that the doctrine of hell is disgusting
believe instead that everyone will be saved. What does such a belief
lead to?
How would you explain
to someone that this doctrine is also
false?
74
Tuesday
May 25
ACCOUNTABILITY (Eccles. 12:14; Matt. 12:33-37; Acts 17:30,
31; Rom. 14:10-12).
If righteous "souls" go to heaven immediately after death and if
unrighteous "souls" go to hell immediately after death, then there is
really no need for a judgment. But Scripture clearly teaches that we
will be held accountable for what we do.
On what basis can God hold us accountable for what we do, even
though we are born with a sinful human nature? Rom. 1:18-20; 2:11-
16.
God reveals Himself to us in three ways: (1) by internal revelation
to our reason and conscience; (2) by external revelation in the works
of creation (Ps. 19:1-4); (3) by special revelation in the Scriptures,
especially in the Person and work of Christ. God gave us reason and
conscience and made us capable of seeing and investigating His works.
It is possible even for the heathen to recognize and acknowledge the
power of an intelligent Being in the works of creation. (See
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 478.)
In light of universal accountability, how do you understand the
meaning of Psalm 87:1-7?
A theme of this psalm is the universality of humankind (compare
Acts 17:26, 27) and the inclusion in God's family of women and men
from every race, nationality, and people. Where people are born is not
as important as who they are in relation to God. It is not some outward
sign such as circumcision that counts but what is in the heart (see
Rom. 2:28, 29).
In the broader sense, this psalm also addresses problems such as the
circumstances of their upbringing and what parents they had. A loving
God takes all into account. But while God fully understands the human
predicament, He does not gloss over evil (see John 9:41; James 4:17;
Acts 17:31).
What new insights has today's study given you into the charac-
ter of God and into your own life?
How can you become more sensitve to the spiritual needs of
other church members of different ethnic backgrounds and those
not of our faith?
75
Wednesday
May 26
COURT IN SESSION (Dan. 7:9, 10; Rom. 14:10-12; Rev. 20:11-13).
The Bible teaches three phases of God's final judgment: (1) the
pre-Advent judgment (the judgment of believers before Christ comes),
(2) the millennial judgment (the judgment of the wicked dead), (3) the
executive judgment (at the end of the millennium when justice against
sin will be carried out and a new earth will be created).
Match the three phases of judgment to the texts:
1.
Dan. 7:9, 10
2.
Rev. 20:4
3.
Rev. 20:12-15
A.
Executive judgment
B.
Millennial judgment
C.
Pre-Advent judgment
To understand the role of Christ in the judgment, we need to under-
stand how the Jewish judicial system worked. Through the centuries
from patriarchal times to the founding of Israel and finally to the monar-
chy, the basic principle of jurisprudence remained the same. A person
was innocent until proven guilty. In Deuteronomy 19:15-21, the picture
is simple. There are no defense or prosecuting attorneys. There is the
judge, the accused, and the accuser.
The judge has a dual role: (1) to defend the accused and (2) to render a
decision. If the accusations of the accuser proved false, he would have to
suffer the penalty he thought to inflict on the accused. A false testimony
was unforgivable, for it represented potential murder in the heart of
false witnesses. (See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1,
p. 1022.) Notice
the simplicity of the court when two women wanted Solomon to judge
whose baby the infant was. Notice also the decision he rendered
(1 Kings. 3:16-28). Remember, too, that Jesus considered hatred in the
heart equivalent to murder (Matt. 5:21, 22).
In light of the court procedure mentioned above, relate John 5:22
and 1 John 2:1 to Zechariah 3:15, Romans 3:31, and Revelation 12:10.
How has this brief insight into the Jewish court procedure
helped you understand God better and the role of Christ on your
behalf? Should we be afraid of the judgment if the Judge, who is
also our Defense Attorney, is our Friend? Case closed!
76
Thursday
May 27
RENOVATION OR RESTORATION (2 Pet. 3:10-13; Rev. 22:11;
20:4-21:5).
Some Christians believe that during the millennium people will be
given another chance to be saved. There are numerous theories about
what exactly will take place. But the general agreement is that in a
time of peace, a golden age, people will hear the gospel again and
have another opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and King.
Those who do not will be destroyed. Nowhere does Scripture speak of
such an additional chance to be saved during the millennium.
From the above texts listed after today's title, select the one
that proves that the theory of another chance during the millen-
nium is not biblical. Then compare your selection with John 5:24-30.
There is also the false concept that the fire spoken of in 2 Peter 3:10-
13 is not ordinary fire but the fire of the Holy Spirit, similar to the
tongues of fire that came upon the disciples at Pentecost. Through the
agency of the Holy Spirit, God will cleanse the earth and make it
suitable for His Son's rule. (See Billy Graham,
World Aflame
[Garden
City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Company, 1965], pp. 246, 247.)
While Christ is the answer to all our human problems—physical,
social, political, financial, and otherwise—to believe He will return to
simply renovate the earth and make it more inhabitable, even totally
righteous, is not biblical.
This is one point in which Seventh-day Adventists differ from most
other Christians. Christ will not come to renovate the earth at the incep-
tion of the millennium but to destroy it (Jer. 4:23-26; Matt. 24:37-39;
Rev. 19:11-16). Without question, we join in the joyous chorus of
Christians who look for His return. However, the new heavens and the
new earth will appear at the end of the millennium (Rev. 21:1-5).
Describe in your own words the sequence of events in Revelation 19,
20, and 21.
How can Seventh-day Adventists share the biblical truth about the
events of the Second Coming without seeming to be alarmists?
While we focus on Christ and not the crisis of the last days,
how can we share the biblical truth about what will happen
when He returns without seeming to doubt the faith of our
fellow Christians?
77
Friday
May 28
FURTHER STUDY:
To learn about the fate of the wicked, read the
following verses: Rom. 6:23; Ps. 37:9, 20, 34; 68:2; 104:35; 145:20;
Mal. 4:1; Matt. 13:30, 40; 2 Pet. 3:10; 2 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 2:14.
Read
The Story of Redemption,
"Satan's Delusions," pp. 388-392.
Recently some non-Adventist pastors and evangelists have spoken
against the doctrine of eternal punishment and in favor of the biblical
teaching that the wicked will be destroyed and be no more. One such
preacher and lay scholar is Edward William Fudge, in his book en-
titled
The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of
Final Punishment
(Houston, Tex.: Providential Press, 1982).
Beginning his research he says, "The greatest reason for talking
about hell is also the simplest and most obvious. Jesus our Savior
spoke of it—more than once and in the most serious tones. Whenever
He speaks, we will do well to listen. We also will do well to be careful
how
we hear" (p. 21). In concluding his research he says, "The Old and
New Testaments alike, in a multiplicity of ways, terms, figures, pictures,
expressions and examples, declare time and time again that the wicked
finally will pass away and be no more, that righteousness will then fill
the universe, and that God will then forever be all in all. Not one time in
all of Scripture does God say that any human being will be made
immortal for the purpose of suffering conscious everlasting torment"
(p. 434).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson?
2.
Review the Memory Text. In light of the lessons this week
about the judgment, how would you explain Christ's statement
that those who believe in Him "shall not come into judgment"?
SUMMARY:
Satan devised the concept of natural immortality and
eternal punishment to discredit God and justify the claim that God
treated him unjustly. He was able to plant this doctrine in the Christian
church and by it generate either an atmosphere of fear or an attitude
that God is too good to destroy life. While God is merciful, He is also
just. The wicked will be no more, and the righteous will cover the
earth.
78
The Teacher Had Something to Learn-1
Becky Mercill
Suleman (SOO-leh-man) Samson smiled at the men standing before
him. Yes, he would let these Adventists use his school for evangelistic
meetings.
It will give me an opportunity to refute their beliefs,
Samson
thought.
Samson was proud of his school and his position as headmaster. He
had struggled to get an education during the difficult years of war in
South Sudan. When he was in the third grade, the English-speaking
school that he attended was forced to close because of the war. The
school did not reopen, so when Samson was 18, he traveled to Juba, the
largest city in South Sudan, hoping to continue his education. But the
schools there also had been closed because of fighting. So Samson took
work as a house boy while he waited to continue his education.
When the schools in Juba finally reopened, Samson enrolled. But
the Sudanese government now controlled the region, and classes were
taught in Arabic. Samson had to start over in school. Twelve years later
he finally completed his studies and returned to his home area to teach
and eventually become headmaster of a school.
When in July 1996 some Adventist believers asked Samson permis-
sion to use his school for evangelistic meetings, he agreed, not because
he believed what they taught, but because he was confident that he
could teach these Adventists a thing or two about religion.
Before the opening meeting, Samson got drunk on the local brew to
bolster his courage. He arrived at the meeting, and the ushers offered
him a seat on the front row and a Bible to use. When the preacher
began talking about Jesus' second coming, Samson sat spellbound. He
had never heard anything like this!
The pastor read from the book of Matthew, but Suleman had no idea
where Matthew was. Some people sitting next to him helped him find
the verses. After the meeting Samson wanted to take the Bible home
with him, but the usher explained that he had
to come to every meeting before he could
receive his own Bible. Angry, Samson
stomped away from the schoolhouse. He
would find a Bible somewhere else!
(continued next week)
Suleman Samson (left). Becky Mercill wrote
this while serving with ADRA/South Sudan, in
Nairobi, Kenya.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
79
Lesson 10
May 29—June 4
Human Vulnerability
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Lev. 19:31; Ps. 106:28; 1 Cor.
10:20; Rev. 16:14.
MEMORY TEXT: "There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS: How
has Satan taken advantage of the damaged
image of God in people? What methods has he used to turn them away
from God?
OVERVIEW. So
far this quarter, we have looked at human nature as
God created it, what He intended for the human race to be, and what it
became because of sin. From Scripture, we learned what happens to
people when they die and what the future holds. The body returns to
dust. The spirit (the breath or spark of life) returns to God who gave it.
The soul (the composite of dust and breath) is then no more. Death
came because of sin, but the hope of life comes through Jesus Christ.
When Adam and Eve sinned, the image of God was marred, not
obliterated. There remained in people the desire for goodness, a long-
ing in their hearts for the relationship with God that they had lost. It is
this desire, this longing for spiritual oneness with their Creator, that
Satan took advantage of in order to bring them under his control. One of
the most successful avenues through which he has attempted to do so
is through spiritualism.
But "God has expressly forbidden all pretended communication with
departed spirits."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 556.
80
Sunday
May 30
THE APPEAL OF MAGIC (Exod. 7:8-13).
The story of the Exodus brings into focus the power of the super-
natural—the power of God to turn a shepherd's rod into a serpent and
the power of Satan to seemingly do likewise with the rods of Pharaoh's
men.
When Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh, they did exactly what
God told them to do. They soon discovered that Pharaoh's wise men,
sorcerers, and magicians were apparently able to do the same things
through magic.
The use of magic in ancient Egypt has been well documented.
Archeological discoveries have shown a snake charmer holding a ser-
pent made as stiff as a rod up in the air before his gods and a snake that
goes against other snakes and devours them. Exactly how the magi-
cians were able to do this is not easy to explain scientifically. No doubt
by use of illusion and deceptive appearances they were able to cast
spells over what appeared to be their rods but which could actually
have been serpents made immobile by applying pressure on the nape of
their necks. They could also have done so by the use of demonic
power. (See
The Expositor's Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 347.)
Explain how it was possible for Satan to control Pharaoh's vision so
that he saw the magicians' rods turn into serpents (Exod. 7:12).
"The magicians did not really cause their rods to become serpents;
but by magic, aided by the great deceiver, they were able to produce
this appearance. It was beyond the power of Satan to change the rods
to living serpents. The prince of evil, though possessing all the wisdom
and might of an angel fallen, has not power to create, or to give life; this
is the prerogative of God alone. But all that was in Satan's power to do,
he did; he produced a counterfeit. To human sight the rods were
changed to serpents.
"Satan is constantly seeking to counterfeit the work of Christ. . . . He
leads men to account for the miracles of Christ by making them appear to
be the result of human skill. . .
."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 264.
When duplicating Moses's and Aaron's actions, what long-
range plan had Satan in mind besides hindering the deliverance of
Israel? See above reference, pp. 264, 265.
If Satan has the power to change people's vision and lead
them to believe an illusion, what mental guide can you use to
keep yourself from believing what you
see?
81
Monday
May 31
THE ECSTASY OF WORSHIP (Exod. 32:1-8).
In Exodus 32:1-8, Moses is on the mountain receiving God's Ten
Commandments and instructions regarding true worship while below
Satan leads the people into an ecstasy of false worship, consented to
by Aaron, the high priest.
Describe how the people responded to Aaron's announcement pro-
claiming "a feast to the Lord." Exod. 32:5, 6.
Satan was there to quickly exploit the human condition of conflict
between the flesh and the spirit. As long as the Israelites were under the
restraining influence of Moses and depended on the leadership of their
"unseen" God, they led a fairly spiritual life. But when Moses was
seemingly gone and God was not heard from, they reverted back to
idolatry.
(See SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 665.)
Explain the influence of Aaron's leadership and the excuse he gave
for what he did. Exod. 32:21-26.
"If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of
consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had un-
swervingly maintained his own allegiance to God, if he had cited the
people to the perils of Sinai, and had reminded them of their solemn
covenant with God to obey his law, the evil would have been checked.
But his compliance with the desires of the people, and the calm assur-
ance with which he proceeded to carry out their plans, emboldened them
to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds. . . .
they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God
seeth not as man sees. Aaron's yielding spirit and his desire to please had
blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning."
—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 323.
In light of Exodus 32:1-26, discuss the spiritual reliability of hu-
man nature and the quickness with which it can revert to savagery
when influenced by demonic forces (compare Gal. 5:19-25; 1 Cor.
10:11-13).
Has your spiritual life had only a few "rough" spots other than the
day-to-day tussles? If this is the case, how do you know how strong you
will be under certain temptations? Would you be as firm if you were
faced with some of the difficulties and temptations others are facing?
82
Tuesday
June 1
HUMAN DESPERATION (1 Sam. 28:3-25).
Fearful that he might be defeated by the Philistines, Saul was willing
to go to any length to find out what to do. Seeking advice from the witch
of Endor was the final step in a series of blunders that led Saul further
and further from the Lord until the Lord no longer answered him. Pride
and love of power, inherent in human nature, had gradually done their
work in Israel's first king.
What Bible texts studied in previous lessons prove that Samuel did
not really appear to Saul at the invitation of the witch of Endor?
Describe what events in Saul's life led him to consult the medium
rather than the Lord. 1 Sam. 28:6, 15-18.
Explain why obedience is better than sacrifice.
Why did Samuel compare Saul's disobedience to witchcraft?
What is the relationship between these two sins against God?
1 Sam. 15:10-23.
"The Holy Spirit had been granted to Saul to enlighten his under-
standing and soften his heart. He had received faithful instruction and
reproof from the prophet of God. And yet how great was his perversity!
The history of Israel's first king presents a sad example of the power of
early wrong habits. In his youth, Saul did not love and fear God; and
that impetuous spirit, not early trained to submission, was ever ready to
rebel against divine authority. Those who in their youth cherish a
sacred regard for the will of God, and who faithfully perform the duties
of their position, will be prepared for higher service in after-life. But men
cannot for years pervert the powers that God has given them, and then,
when they choose to change, find these powers fresh and free for an
entirely opposite
course."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 622.
What habits of yours help you to serve God more faithfully? Which
ones keep you from serving Him as you would like to?
Do you believe God's grace can help you overcome bad hab-
its? If yes, how will His grace specifically help you?
83
Wednesday
June 2
IDOLS AND THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN (Ezek. 8:1-14; Jer. 7:16-18).
Daniel and Ezekiel were both taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar—
Daniel to the city of Babylon in 605 B.C. and Ezekiel near Nippur by
the River Chebar in 597 B.C. The captives living with Ezekiel confi-
dently believed that their captivity would be short and that God would
not allow Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jerusalem again nor destroy the
temple. But when Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, the
Babylonians took Jerusalem after a siege of two years, in 586 B.C.
They captured the city, destroyed the temple, and took most of the
population captive. Repeatedly, Ezekiel had warned the captives about
what would happen. But they stubbornly refused to believe it. To help
Ezekiel understand why Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed,
and to strengthen his confidence in God's message, the Holy Spirit
gave Ezekiel a vision of what was happening in Jerusalem and of the
heathen rites of worship that were being conducted in the temple. (See
SDA Bible Dictionary,
pp. 783, 784, 353-355.)
Describe the types of idols the priests were worshiping. Ezek. 8:6-12.
Some commentators think that the idols on the walls of the temple
were evil spirits of the lower world, the mortuary deities of Egypt.
Serpents, crocodiles, beetles, baboons, etc. were often featured in
Egyptian tombs, where they were generally painted on the walls. This
means that the "abominations" the priests were practicing in the temple
might have included attempted communications with the dead.
Describe what Ezekiel saw the women doing. Ezek. 8:13, 14; Jer.
7:16-18.
Tammuz was the Sumerian god of fertility and rain, similar to Baal,
who would die in the winter and be resurrected in the spring. The Queen
of Heaven was Ishtar, the Assyro-Babylonian goddess of love and
fertility, often associated with the worship of stars and planets, which
was forbidden as early as the time of Moses (Deut. 4:19; 17:2-5). This
kind of idolatry was not only practiced privately but by whole fami-
lies, undoubtedly including children.
Compare what Ezekiel saw with the foolishness of humans de-
scribed in Isaiah 44:9-20.
What "false gods," if any, are you depending on or worship-
ing? How can the Holy Spirit help you in this area?
84
Thursday
June 3
WORSHIPING THE SUN (Exod. 27:9-19; Ezek. 8:15-18).
Describe how the sanctuary in the wilderness was positioned.
Why was such a position important? Exod. 27:9-19.
The position of the sanctuary, its articles of furniture as well as its
services, all had symbolic significance. For example, God provided only
one way into the sanctuary. This entrance leading into the presence of
God points to Christ, who is the door (John 10:7), the way to the
Father (John 14:7), and the only One through whom we can be saved
(Acts 4:12). The general position of the sanctuary also was important.
The entrance faced east so when the worshipers walked into the
courtyard and faced the altar of sacrifice they would be turning their
backs toward the sun, symbolizing their rejection of idol worship.
Sun worship was common in the ancient Near East. God warned His
people against this kind of idolatry practiced by the nations around
them (2 Kings 21:5; 23:5, 11). For the people in countries such as
Assyria and Egypt, as well as for those in Canaan, the sun usually
personified one or more of their gods. The ancient Egyptians worshiped
the sun as Re (or Amon-Re). Under Amenhotep IV, the solar disk
became the royal family's object of worship.
Although forbidden in the Mosaic law (Deut. 4:19; 17:3), sun wor-
ship became a problem in ancient Israel, particularly during the period
of the Assyrian dominance. The kings of Judah dedicated horses to the
sun and stationed them, along with chariots, at the entrance of the
house of Yahweh (2 Kings 23:11). These symbolized the horses and
chariots used by the sun-god to traverse the heavens.
Discuss the significance of the order in which Ezekiel saw the
abominations practiced by the priests in the temple. Ezek. 8:6-18.
What Ezekiel saw in vision confirmed what God had told him. In spite
of the previous two captivities of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the
people and priests continued to worship idols and turn their backs on
Jehovah. The Lord had no choice but to withdraw His protection from
the city and allow Nebuchadnezzar to destroy both the city and the
temple. What is it about human nature, about men and women who
worship God, that they can be so blind, so willful not to see and hear
and believe what God has said?
Do you believe what God has said, what Jesus has told us?
How have you taken His prophecies to heart, particularly the
prophecies of the last days?
85
Friday
June 4
FURTHER STUDY:
How does Paul speak about the human conflict
regarding spiritualism? Read Ephesians 6:10-18.
For additional insight into the history of sun worship, see
Bible
Student's Source Book,
vol. 9 of the
SDA Bible Commentary
series.
Read
The Great Controversy,
"Can Our Dead Speak to Us?",
pp. 531-562;
Patriarchs and Prophets,
"Ancient and Modern Sor-
cery," pp. 683-689.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Questions in Sabbath's lesson?
2.
This is a true story. Karen's father was a spiritualist and
hoped that Karen would become one, too. Instead, she
became a Seventh-day Adventist! If you were Karen, how
would you tell your father that his "religion" was false?
Perhaps part of your answer for question 1 will help you
answer this question.
3.
How can we contend against beings superior to ourselves? Do
we think we can mentally compete with a being like Lucifer,
who was the highest created intelligent being next to God?
While obviously Christians should not become involved
in spiritualism, is it permissible to experiment with quasi-
spiritualistic phenomena? Explain your answer.
4.
What part do humans play in the warfare against Satan? How
would you apply Ephesians 6:10-18 to your own life?
5.
What did Jesus mean when He said to Peter, "Simon, Simon!
Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as
wheat.
But I
have prayed for you, that your faith should not
fail; when you have returned to Me, strengthen your breth-
ren" (Luke 22:31, 32, NKJV)?
SUMMARY: Ever since God expressed His love for humankind,
Satan has used whatever means possible to destroy the human race.
One such means is for him to take advantage of the desire in the
human heart for fellowship with the Creator. To do this, Satan works
through mediums to establish contact with the "spirit" world. Another
approach Satan uses is to lead women and men to worship "idols" of
their own making. Nevertheless, "When the enemy comes in like a
flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him" (Isa.
59:19, NKJV).
86
The Teacher Had Something to Learn-2
Becky Mercill
Suleman Sampson had attended the evangelistic meeting in his
schoolhouse, intending to set the speaker straight on religious matters.
But the pastor's message on Christ's second coming fascinated him. He
wanted to take a Bible home after the meeting, but the usher told him
that he would have to attend all the meetings before he could have the
Bible. Samson tried to buy a Bible in town, but the shops were closed.
Finally he borrowed his neighbor's Bible.
That night he sat beside the fire and told his relatives what he had
heard at the meeting that day. He could remember only one Bible
reference that the pastor had quoted: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He read
these verses, which explain how Jesus will return to rescue those who
love Him to live with Him forever.
Later that night Samson dreamed that someone came into his
bedroom and crushed his head against the bed. When he awoke, pain
shot through his head. It subsided enough so that he could attend the
meetings, but later the pain returned with a force that made him sick.
This happened every day, but the pain did not stop Samson from
attending the meetings or accepting the truths he heard. The pastor
learned about Samson's mysterious headaches and prayed for him.
After the meetings ended, he took Samson to Juba for a check-up.
Samson stayed with his aunt while in Juba to see the doctor. His two
brothers, Wisely and Paul, were also living with her while they at-
tended school. Samson invited them to study the Bible with him, and
on Saturday he took his brothers to church. But when his aunt learned
that Samson no longer followed the family's religion, she became
angry and hid their Bibles. The pastor gave Samson and his brothers
three more Bibles.
Samson shared his growing faith with neighbors as well, and in-
vited them to study the Bible with him. He noticed that the pain in his
head disappeared whenever he was studying
the Bible. Soon after Samson and his brother,
Wisely, were baptized. Samson realized that
the pain in his head was gone.
(to be continued)
Suleman Samson (left). Becky Mercill wrote
this while serving with ADRA/South Sudan in
Nairobi, Kenya.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
87
Lesson 11
June 5-11
Encounter
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 22:31; 1 Pet.
5:6-11.
MEMORY TEXT: "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, NKJV).
KEY QUESTION:
How did the coming of the Messiah affect Satan's
activity?
BORN IN HOSTILE TERRITORY.
Last week we studied how through
spiritualism Satan attempts to take advantage of our desire for spiritual
oneness with God in order to defeat the plan of salvation. Spiritualism is
not the only way Satan tried to destroy the plan of salvation. He also tried
to make Christ sin while He lived on earth. When the Son of God took
on human nature, Satan thought he could at least defeat Him as he did
Adam. Satan's ultimate aim, however, was to kill Him.
Herod's reign was full of bloodshed. He even killed members of his
own family to stay on the throne. The news that a baby king was born
not far from Jerusalem infuriated him. He was determined to kill this new
rival, no matter what the consequences. What part did Satan play in
using Herod's perverted nature to try to destroy the newly born Son of
God? (see Rev. 12:1-5, 9). What indication do we have that Herod
passed on his character traits to his son? (see Matt. 2:19-22).
As you study this week's lesson, try to identify your character
weaknesses. What can you do to prevent Satan from taking advantage
of these weaknesses and rendering you unable to claim salvation?
88
Sunday
June 6
EDUCATION (Luke 2:39-52; John 7:14, 15; Acts 4:13).
What did Jesus mean when He said that He must be "about My
Father's business" (Luke 2:42-49)?
As a servant, Jesus laid aside the full use of His divine powers (Phil.
2:7). His mind and body developed according to the laws of childhood.
He gained knowledge as all humans do. To say that Jesus "grew in
wisdom" does not detract from His deity. His intimate acquaintance
with Scripture shows how diligently His mother taught Him and how
much of His early years He spent studying the Word of God. Early
training and the right education have a powerful influence in shaping
the conscience and thinking. Conscience can become insensitive to
spiritual things and can even harden against truth (1 Tim. 4:1, 2). In His
early years, Jesus' conscience was shaped by His mother, who under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit taught Him from Scripture.
List reasons why Jesus chose not to study under the rabbis (John
7:15).
What would have happened to Jesus if He had received a
rabbinical
training?
The rabbis were surprised that Jesus was so well informed. They
believed being truly educated meant receiving an education from a
recognized teacher and closely associating with that teacher in service
to him. Self-education was considered vastly inferior to such training.
It was Satan's intention to shape Jesus' mind and conscience through
false education. He knows that the human conscience can be trained
and that through it he can control human behavior. This he attempted
to do with Jesus. But Jesus rightly refused to be trained in the customs
and traditions of the rabbis.
"In the days of Christ the established teachers instructed men in the
traditions of the fathers, in childish fables, mingled with the opinions of
those who they thought were high authorities. Yet neither high nor low
could discern any ray of light in their teaching. . . . He rescued truth from
its obscurity, and set it in its proper framework, to shine in its original
luster."—Fundamentals of Christian Education,
pp. 183, 184.
When seeking solutions to problems and when looking for
guidance, how often do you find yourself relying more on opin-
ions and traditions than you do on the Word of Cod?
89
Monday
June 7
TEMPTATION (Matt. 4:1-11).
Explain why the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Matt. 4:
1, 2.
The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted, or tested. In
Scripture "tempting" or "testing" can mean to reveal or develop charac-
ter as well as to invite to do evil. In the case of Jesus, it meant both. For
us to "tempt" or "test" God is wrong because it reflects a lack of faith. In
Jesus' experience, God clearly purposed to test Him just as Israel was
tested. And Jesus' responses prove that He knew what Israel's wilder-
ness experience was all about. (See
The Expositor's Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 8, p. 112.)
Some Christians believe that Christ could not have been overcome
by temptation. But unless there is a possibility of yielding, temptation is
not temptation. Christ could not have been tempted in all points as we
are (Heb. 4:15) if He could not or would not have sinned. Christ
experienced to the fullest extent what we experience when striving
against sin. That is why He understands us and why we can come to
Him to find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). "He not only
became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of
failure and eternal loss."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 131.
What basic needs of human nature did Satan appeal to when he
tempted Christ? Explain what Jesus meant by the responses He gave.
Matt. 4:3-10.
Now match the following texts with the temptations:
1st: Health and life
2nd: Spiritual pride
3rd: Wealth
A.
1 Chron. 21:1-8
B.
Ezek. 16:48-50
C.
Job 2:1-10
Principles we can learn from Christ's experience in the wilderness
include the following: (1) Obedience is more important than physical
survival. (2) God's rescuing power is not something to be experi-
mented with but something to be quietly trusted in from day to day.
(3) The plan of salvation allows no room for compromise.
How has Satan tempted you regarding health and life, spir-
itual pride, and wealth? How can believing that Jesus was tempted
as you are improve your relationship with Him?
90
Tuesday
June 8
EMBARRASSMENT AND SHAME (Matt. 9:32-34; 12:22-30;
Luke 23:33-41; Isa. 53:3-6; Heb. 12:1, 2).
Discuss how the hatred of the Pharisees influenced not only
their thinking but Jesus' response. Matt. 9:32-34; 12:24; John
8:48, 49; Matt. 12:26-28.
Human reason is no guarantee of truth. Our likes and dislikes, self-
ishness, hatred, prejudice, and desire to control can easily influence our
thinking (Matt. 15:18-20). "There is a way that seems right to a man, but
its end is the way of death" (Prov. 16:25, NKJV). God invites us to
forsake our thoughts, to come and reason with Him, and to think His
thoughts after Him (Isa. 1:18; 55:6-9).
Describe the impact that physical and mental abuse and public
shame must have had on the human nature of Christ. Matt. 27:26-29;
Luke 23:33-41; Isa. 53:1-6; Heb. 12:1, 2.
Satan did all he could to undermine Christ's human nature in order to
get Him to sin. In addition to being scourged twice, people jeered Him
because He could not carry the cross. Then He suffered the torture of
crucifixion (the most horrible kind of death the Romans could devise).
Christ hung on the cross completely naked, exposed to public shame. We
cannot comprehend that the Creator of the universe, the Son of God,
allowed Himself to be thus exposed and shamed because He loved us so.
With the last ounce of His strength, Christ cried out, "It is fin-
ished," "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46;
John 19:30). All heaven triumphed in Christ's victory. For the angels
and the unfallen beings throughout the universe, the great work of
redemption had been accomplished. They, too, share in the fruits of
Christ's victory. Satan was now a defeated foe. In Christ, there had
been one human being whom he could not defeat, who had not come
under his control. The human race was not totally his. His kingdom
was lost, and he knew it. (See
The Desire of Ages,
p. 758.)
How does it make you feel when you contemplate the horrible shame
and agony Jesus suffered for you? How does knowing that Christ
suffered on your behalf enable you to cope with hardship and persecu-
tion when they occur on the job, in the home, or elsewhere?
How much do you appreciate what He has done for you? How
can you better show your appreciation?
91
Wednesday
June 9
CONTINUED CONFRONTATION (Rev. 12:10-12; Acts 13:4-12).
Although Satan knew that he had been defeated by Christ at Calvary
and that he had lost his kingdom, his hatred for the human race did not
diminish. Instead, he turned this hatred for the gospel and for anyone
who accepts Christ as their Saviour and Lord into a rage (Rev. 12:10-12).
Describe the encounter Paul had with Satan during his first mis-
sionary journey. Acts 13:4-8.
Belief in fortunetellers and magic is one sign of a declining civiliza-
tion. So it was in the days of Rome. Even an intelligent man like Sergius
Paulus kept private wizards and sorcerers who dealt in magic and spells.
Elymas, on the other hand, was a Jew, who like others of his
countrymen, had offered their services to the rich and elite on the basis
of the religious prestige of his people and boasted that in addition to
the "sacred" books, he had spells and charms that allegedly came from
Solomon (see
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 282).
Why did Paul call Elymas "a son of the devil"? Was Paul's severity
with Elymas justified? Explain your answer. Acts 13:9-11; John 8:44.
Compare what happened to Elymas with Paul's experience before
his conversion. Acts 9:1-18.
Instead of teaching the governor the Jewish faith and helping him to
know God, Elymas led him to depend on sorcery and magic. He had
perverted the ways of the Lord. Paul was about to teach him that the
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was displeased with what he had
done. Could it be that Paul had his own experience in mind when he
pronounced the sentence against Elymas?
"The forces of evil are engaged in unceasing warfare against the
agencies appointed for the spread of the gospel and these powers of
darkness are especially active when the truth is proclaimed before men
of repute and sterling integrity.... But the faithful gospel worker need
not fear defeat at the hand of the enemy; for it is his privilege to be
endued with power from above to withstand every satanic influence."
—The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 167, 168.
In your part of the world, how does the use of fortunetellers
and magic mark the decline of civilization?
92
Thursday
June 10
HARASSMENT (Acts 16:16-24).
Paul's experience at Philippi was not a happy one. Nevertheless, the
good news of Jesus Christ continued to spread among the Gentiles.
Describe what the young woman with "the spirit of divination" did
to harass Paul. Also, discuss what caused him to be so upset about it.
Acts 16:17, 18.
The title "the Most High God" was used not only by the Hebrew
people to refer to Yahweh but also by the Greeks of their god Zeus. To
Paul, the announcement regarding salvation or the way to be saved
meant deliverance from sin. For the people of Philippi, however, salva-
tion meant being delivered from fate. But while Paul and Silas tried to
clarify the difference, the young woman's harassment caused the people
to be confused. That's when Paul commanded the "evil spirit" to come
out of her. Restored to her right mind, the young woman became a
Christian and together with Lydia formed the nucleus of the church at
Philippi.
Why were Paul and Silas arrested? Describe the sequence of events
that led to their vindication and the conversion of the jailer. Acts
16:19-40.
What Paul did for this slave girl was not appreciated by her masters.
They were more interested in the commercial gain they lost than they
were in the girl's welfare.
"Terrible is the struggle that takes place between the forces of good
and of evil in important centers where the messengers of truth are called
upon to labor. 'We wrestle not against flesh and blood,' declares Paul,
`but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world.' Ephesians 6:12. Till the close of time there will
be a conflict between the church of God and those who are under the
control of evil angels."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 219.
What lessons can you learn from these experiences that you can
apply to your own life? How would you respond if you were unfairly
arrested and deprived of your liberty?
Would you have baptized someone after only one night of
instruction? Would you continue to share your faith in a place
where you were not wanted? What would you do?
93
Friday
June 11
FURTHER STUDY:
For a description of Satan and his work against
the gospel and those who claim it, read 1 Peter 5:8. To learn how to
protect yourself against his attacks, read Ephesians 6:10-18.
Also read any or all of the following from
The Desire of Ages,
"Days
of Conflict," pp. 84-92; "The Temptation," pp. 114-123; "The Victory,"
pp. 124-131; "Calvary," pp. 741-757; "It Is Finished," pp. 758-764.
"Of the bitterness that falls to the lot of humanity, there was no part
which Christ did not taste. There were those who tried to cast contempt
upon Him because of His birth, and even in His childhood He had to
meet their scornful looks and evil whisperings. If He had responded by
an impatient word or look, if He had conceded to His brothers by even
one wrong act, He would have failed of being a perfect example. Thus
He would have failed of carrying out the plan for our redemption. Had
He even admitted that there could be an excuse for sin, Satan would
have triumphed, and the world would have been lost. This is why the
tempter worked to make His life as trying as possible, that He might be
led to
sin."—The Desire of Ages,
p. 88.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Question in Sabbath's lesson? Be sure your answer in-
cludes specific things brought out in the lesson.
2.
What would you do if some of the events that happened to Jesus
and His family happened to you? What sacrifices are you
willing to make to give your children the kind of Christian
education they need? Would you be willing to suffer torture and
maybe even death for your faith?
3.
What would you do if someone controlled by the devil tried to
interfere with the Bible studies you were giving? Why do you
think the men in jail with Paul and Silas didn't escape when
the earthquake occurred?
SUMMARY: Satan uses every means available in his attempts to
bring men and women under his control. He has exploited every
human weakness to achieve his ends. His rage is expressly exhibited
in the life of Christ and in the experiences of the early church.
94
AS&
The Teacher Had Something to Learn-3
Becky Mercill
Following his baptism, Suleman Samson returned to his job as
headmaster of the school in Mundri, South Sudan. He started a branch
Sabbath School, but the war made living in Mundri too dangerous.
Suleman and his brother Wisely, who also had been baptized, returned
to their home village. There they shared their faith and started a church.
The war made communication and travel difficult, and it was impos-
sible for a pastor to reach the area to baptize the new believers. Samson
and his brother taught the people the best that they could, but some of
the believers who were waiting for baptism became discouraged and
stopped coming to church.
Samson and Wisely decided to do something. They sent Natana, a
young convert, to Juba and on to Khartoum in hopes that he could
receive theological training and be ordained.
Three years later the rebel army had regained the territory around
the village, and people could again communicate with the outside
world. By then Samson and Wisely had planted three churches and
prepared 60 believers for baptism. They sent word to church headquar-
ters asking that a pastor come to examine and baptize the new believ-
ers. A pastor from Zaire was able to reach the village, and the first
baptism in the region in years was planned. Some people walked 70
miles to be baptized. Not everyone was able to attend this baptism,
however, and another baptism was planned across the South Sudan
border in Uganda. Some people walked up to seven days to reach the
baptismal site, more than 300 miles away.
The new members wrote to church headquarters, telling them of
their churches and asking for a pastor. Not long afterward Natana, the
young man who had gone to Khartoum to study theology, returned to
his village to serve as a lay pastor.
Natana wrote proposals to ADRA for agriculture programs and
primary schools in the region. Union officials traveled to the region to
study the needs and arranged for Global Mis-
sion lay preachers to begin working in the
region.
(continued next week)
Becki Mercill (left) wrote this story while
serving with ADRA/South Sudan. She has since
returned to the United States. Suleman Samson
is working for Global Mission in Maridi, South
Sudan.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
95
Lesson 12
June 12-18
Scripture Twisting
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Tim. 1:3-5; 3:13-17; 4:1-4.
MEMORY TEXT: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV).
KEY QUESTION: When Satan was unsuccessful in getting Christ
to sin and when he saw that he could not stop the spread of the gospel,
what did he do?
TRADITION OR SCRIPTURE?
For centuries, the teachings of the
Christian church were a mixture of Scripture and tradition. In God's
providence, the time had come to give Scripture its rightful place and to
make the Bible available to the people. The man whom God used to
bring about this change was Martin Luther, in Germany. One example
of the abuse of tradition was the sale of indulgences—the payment to
the church for the forgiveness of personal sins as well as the sins of
those suffering in the flames of purgatory. One seller of indulgences
boasted, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from
purgatory springs." To Luther, this was bad theology. It prompted him
to nail his 95 objections to the church door in Wittenberg. Thus he
ignited the spark that flamed the Reformation and put him in direct
confrontation with papal authority. Luther stood firm by his two great
convictions—that salvation was by faith in Christ alone and that the
Scriptures are the only standard for Christian faith and behavior.
—adapted from Bruce L. Shelley,
Church History in Plain Language
(Waco, Tex.: Word Book Publishers, 1982), pp. 258, 259.
96
Sunday
June 13
THE HOLY SPIRIT OR THE BIBLE? (John 14:26; 1 Cor. 12:7-11;
2 Pet. 1:21; 1 John 4:1; Isa. 8:19, 20).
As the Reformation continued, so did Satan's attacks. Since he was
not able to stop the spread of Scripture, he attempted to undermine its
authority by leading men and women to misunderstand and misapply
what it said. For instance, Luther had recommended that Thomas Miintzer,
one of the ablest and best educated leaders of the lower classes, be a
pastor of one of the Protestant churches. While pastoring this church,
Miintzer developed his doctrine of the "inner light," or the direct and
continued revelation of the Holy Spirit to each believer by means of
dreams and ecstatic visions. He also criticized Luther for being slav-
ishly bound to the Bible. This soon led to fanaticism and violence in
what has been called the Peasant's revolt.—Harold J. Grimm,
The
Reformation Era (New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, 1954),
pp. 173, 174.
Luther denounced this fanatical movement and said, "To them the
Holy Scriptures were but a dead letter, and they all began to cry, 'The
Spirit! the Spirit!' "
Compare Satan's misuse of Scripture during the Reformation with
his misuse of Scripture during his second temptation of Christ. Matt.
4:5-7.
Satan has not hesitated to quote Scripture. But while he is doing so,
he manipulates it to suit his purpose and to make it appear as if the
Scripture he quoted approves a sinful course of action. In the case of
his temptation of Christ, while he quoted Psalm 91:11, 12, he took it from
its context to mean that God would protect Christ no matter what He did
because He was His beloved Son. But the psalm clearly teaches that
God will protect His children only if they walk in His ways, not their
own. (See
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 313.)
Discuss the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Isa.
8:19, 20; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 John 4:1. Why must the two never be
separated?
As you walk the Christian path, commit yourself to the follow-
ing advice: "Beware how you follow impulse, calling it the Holy
Spirit. Some are in danger of doing this. The word of God urges us
to be sound in the faith, able to give to everyone who asks, a reason
for the hope that is in
us."—Gospel Workers,
p. 306.
97
Monday
June 14
SUCCESS AND THE SEDUCTIVE POWER OF CHARM (Luke
10:1-5, 17-20; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; Gal. 1:6-9).
Satan's efforts to undermine the gospel, and especially the authority
of Scripture, did not stop with the Reformation. When the Advent
movement of the nineteenth century began, he focused his attention on
people committed to keeping all the commandments of God. His
methods deserve careful attention, particularly since all of us have the
same human nature to which Satan can appeal.
Moses Hull was a successful, young Adventist evangelist in the
1860s. During these early years, debates were used to draw crowds and
spread the truth about the Sabbath. Hull was successful at this and
began debating spiritualists, even converting one of them. Encouraged
by this, he agreed to debate W. F. Jamieson, a spiritualist lecturer.
During the debate, Hull came under the influence of an "evil spirit,"
whom he called Downing. And he soon felt, as he expressed it, that he
was growing out of his Advent clothes and getting on higher ground.
Before too long, he left the Adventist ministry, rejected the full author-
ity of Scripture, and became a spiritualist.
From what she had seen in vision, Ellen White warned Elder Hull that
he was standing on the brink of an awful gulf, that if he took one more
step it would be final and his eternal destiny would be fixed (see
Testimonies for the Church, vol.
1, p. 427). But more important than
this, she said, "Already had evil angels telegraphed to Satan's agents
upon earth that Brother Hull would soon leave the Seventh-day Adventists
and join their ranks, and the Spiritualist medium with whom he dis-
cussed must be all gentleness, and charm him and fascinate him. He was
almost continually in the company of this Spiritualist medium, and
Satan exulted at the conquest he had made."—Arthur L. White,
Ellen
G. White,
"The Progressive Years" (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and
Herald Publishing Association, 1986), vol. 2, p. 56.
Discuss the advice Jesus gave when His disciples returned with
reports of soul-winning success and how the devils were subject to
them. Luke 10:17-20.
Have you been attracted to some new religious fad or sensation?
Are you easily swayed by the charm of someone supposedly preach-
ing truth? How do you test what is being said?
Is Jesus warning against joy or against pride and overconfidence?
98
Tuesday
June 15
ZEAL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE (Matt. 23:15; Rom. 10:1-3).
Another device Satan can use to undermine the gospel and espe-
cially the Advent message is pushing a person's zeal to extreme lengths.
S. S. Davis, a conference evangelist, was impressed with the enthusi-
asm of Pentecostal Christians. "They have the spirit," he said, "and we
have the truth. If we could combine the two, the truth would go with
power."
Soon after, Davis was using all sorts of musical instruments in his
meetings, including a bass drum, to heighten the emotional effect of
his message. The people shouted, prayed for the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, and when falling prostrate, were surrounded by more
singing and shouting. Those who fainted and revived were said to
have passed through the "garden experience" and were "born" sons
and daughters of God. They were ready for translation, for now they
could no longer sin.
Furthermore, those who did not have this experience were only
"adopted" children of God. They would have to die and go to heaven
through the "underground railroad."
The General Conference stepped in to correct the situation. Ellen
White pointed out that as long as we are on this earth, "holy flesh" is an
impossibility. We can have holy hearts but not holy flesh. To believe
otherwise would lead to overconfidence and play directly into the hands
of the devil. (See
Light Bearers to the Remnant,
R. W. Schwartz [Nampa,
Idado: Pacific Press® Publishing Association, 1979], pp. 447, 448.)
Compare the above experience with what Jesus said to the Phari-
sees. Matt. 23:15; see also Rom. 10:1-3.
Jesus chided the Pharisees, because the converts they were making
were twice the children of the devil than they were. The "most con-
verted became the most perverted," as someone said, being even more
legalistic than the Pharisees themselves. The sin of the Pharisees was
that they were bringing people to Judaism rather than to God.
While the concerns of the Pharisees and Elder Davis were different,
there is a similarity. The Pharisees focused on obedience in order to
obtain merit, an objective legalism. Davis focused on being acceptable
to God by achieving a level of sinless perfection, a subjective legal-
ism. Both approaches show a zeal based on unsound biblical knowledge.
Christians can be easily misled by religious fervor. But they
also can be so legalistic they stifle the spirit of love. How do we
strike a balance between the two? How are the scales tipping in
your own life?
99
Wednesday
June 16
MISGUIDED INTELLIGENCE (Isa. 28:23-29; Jer.
9:23, 24;
James 4:13-16).
In addition to charm and misguided zeal, another method Satan uses
to undermine the gospel is to make intelligence and health the focus of
people's attention. One of the most successful Adventist physicians
was Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. It took him only about 20 years to turn
the Western Health Reform Institute in 1876 into the internationally
respected Battle Creek sanitarium with a staff of nearly 1,000.
Formulate the biblical principle that should guide all Christian
professionals. Isa. 28:23-29; Jer. 9:23, 24; James 4:13-16.
Kellogg was quite generous and a man of prayer. Before each opera-
tion, he would pray with his surgical team. He gave all his fees either to
the Sanitarium or to other Adventist institutions. Often he would per-
form surgery on charity patients without charge.
Over the years, however, Kellogg became so enamored with the
healing, restorative power of the human body he began to believe that
God was inside of every person. Indeed, he believed God was inside
every
living thing. God, he said, was not behind nature nor above
nature. He was
in
nature, entering into our bodies every time we ate
food. These beliefs began to border on spiritualism. W. A. Spicer, who
had served in India, recognized in Kellogg's statements aspects of
Hinduism. By 1907, the church in Battle Creek discontinued his member-
ship.
One New York journalist, who had visited Kellogg, published this
report: "While Dr. Kellogg and his household have lived in conformity
with the most unworldly religious view, he has faced existence with no
narrow outlook. And thus he has outgrown the anthropomorphic con-
ception of God. 'My God,' he says simply today, 'is the personal, but
universal intelligence that pervades the heights and the depths and the
farthermost reaches of the universe. . . .'" —Mabel Potter Daggett,
Delineator,
December 1910, p. 530.
What happens to our view of God when we equate Him with
nature? Through the teachings of pantheism, how has Satan
undermined what Christ has done for us?
If God is inside each of us, do we need to be born again? Do
you know someone who believes that way? How do you share
your faith with that person?
100
Thursday
June 17
THE NEW AGE (Gen. 3:1-5; Matt. 7:21-23; Ps. 103:1-5; 149:1-4;
3 John 2).
Satan has launched his attack against God and Scripture by bringing
to bear all methods he ever used on the generation living before the
second coming of Christ. The words
New Age
describe a philosophy
that includes a spectrum of beliefs from pantheism to reincarnation to
moral relativism and therapeutic touch.
Therapeutic touch is the modern name for the ancient practice of
laying-on of hands for healing. The National League of Nurses in the
United States has approved this method as alternative care. It is practiced
by thousands of nurses in over sixty-five countries. The basic concept is
that energy, or
vital force,
is transferred by conscious intent from a
healthy person to a patient in order to facilitate healing. Some in the
medical profession who have studied this technique have taken a greater
interest in the more pleasing forms of spiritualism and the power of the
paranormal. The National Council Against Health Fraud, headquartered
in Loma Linda, California, has strong reservations concerning this kind
of alternative medicine. (See Sharon Fish, "The Therapeutic Touch,"
Christian Research Journal
[Summer 1995], pp. 30-38).
Which texts help you with which New Age belief?
A.
Pantheism: you find God by
Matt. 7:21-23
finding yourself, for God is
inside of you.
B.
Reincarnation: you never die and
Gen. 3:4
are repeatedly reborn to carve
out your own destiny.
C.
Moral relativism: you determine
Ps. 103:1-5
your own morals and what is good
for you; nothing is absolutely
right or wrong.
D.
Therapeutic touch: you can be
Gen. 3:5
healed by tapping the energy
source within yourself and
others.
How can you apply the following caution to your life?
"The apostles
of nearly all forms of spiritism claim to have the power to cure the
diseased. They attribute their power to electricity, magnetism, the so-
called 'sympathetic remedies,' or to the latent forces within the mind of
man. And there are not a few, even in this Christian age, who go to these
healers, instead of trusting in the power of the living God and the skill of
well-qualified Christian physicians."—Evangelism, p. 606.
101
Friday
June 18
FURTHER STUDY:
The controversy between Christ and Satan has
always centered on the question, Can God be trusted? While still in the
Garden of Eden, Satan engaged Eve in a discussion over the reliability
of God's Word (Gen. 3:1-5). He succeeded in causing her to doubt it.
Yet it is God's trustworthiness that is the "rock" on which His cov-
enant promise is built. He does not lie (Heb. 6:13-20).
We find this same trustworthiness in Scripture, for it is through
Scripture that God speaks to us. Jesus never doubted what Scripture
said (Matt. 19:4-6). He used it in defense against Satan (Matt. 4:1-11).
Paul believed that Christ died, was buried, and rose according to Scrip-
ture (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Peter says that the Scriptures are more reliable than
eyesight (2 Pet. 1:16-21). Lastly, John warns us not to add or subtract
from the book he wrote (Rev. 22:18, 19).
"Christ illustrated character building by a house built on a rock. . . .
Amidst the changing scenes, with heresy and false doctrines coming in
that will test the faith of all, the house built on the solid rock cannot be
shaken. . . .
"Let us take heed, then how we build. Let no one build unwisely. The
word of God is our only foundation. Every semblance of error will come
upon us. Some of theses errors will be very specious and attractive, but
if received, they would remove the pillars of the foundation that Christ
has established and set up a structure of man's building. . . .
"Christ's lessons should be studied by everyone. The truth is solid,
substantial. This truth is to be presented to all; for Satan will come in
with his pleasing sentiments, which make nothingness of God's word
and turn aside minds from the truth to
fables."—Medical Ministry,
p. 87.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Question in Sabbath's introduction? Use specific examples
presented throughout each day.
2.
How is Scripture a "lamp" and a protection against sin? Ps.
119:9-16, 97-112.
3.
Explain the verse, "My word shall not return to me void."
Isa. 55:10, 11.
SUMMARY:
Satan has succeeded in undermining Scripture through a
mixture of tradition, Pentecostalism, communication with spirits, zeal for
God, human intelligence, and "whatever works." These he then over-
lays with Scripture so that they seem to become more sure than the
word of God itself. Thus it is necessary for us to make Scripture the
basis of our faith.
102
mik
The Teacher Had Something to Learn-4
Becky Mercill
Now that Natana had returned to take over leadership of the church,
Samson turned his attention to the children. He saw an entire genera-
tion of children growing up robbed of an education, much as he had
grown up years earlier. He was determined to see that these children
would receive an education. Samson asked and received permission
from the army to open primary schools for the children of South Sudan.
But he had no school supplies to open schools.
Samson sent three men to Juba to ask aid agencies for supplies to
help set up the schools. The agencies provided notebooks, chalk,
pencils, and writing pads, but the men had no means to transport the
supplies back to the village. They had to walk back to the village, and
could take only what they could carry on their heads. But with these
first supplies Samson started two primary schools that opened with 17
teachers and 721 pupils!
With the army's permission Samson walked from village to village
in the region urging chiefs to establish primary schools in their towns
so that more children could obtain an education. He told the people
what they needed to do to start a school and urged them to move ahead.
In three months Samson had helped start 34 schools that eventually
hired 611 teachers.
The following year the Adventist church asked Samson to organize
Adventist self-help (self-supporting) primary schools in South Sudan.
In 1993 Samson opened the first Adventist self-help school in South
Sudan with four teachers and 52 students in grades one and two. He
continues working with community leaders and church members to
establish Adventist self-help schools today.
ADRA supplies some school materials and sponsors teacher train-
ing programs to upgrade the quality of instruction. Often the Adventist
school is the only school for miles around; and most of the students
who attend are not from Adventist families. At the end of 1996, 12
Adventist-sponsored self-help schools were serving 1700 students.
One of the greatest challenges is finding trained teachers who
possess the leadership qualities needed to teach with limited supplies.
Samson set out to teach the Adventists a lesson. Instead he met the
Saviour and has learned a lot more than he ever thought he could. And
for that he gives God the glory.
Suleman Samson works with Global Mission in South Sudan. Becky
Mercill wrote this while working with ADRA/South Sudan.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
r
i
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
103
Lesson 13
June 19-25
The Last Fight for Human
Freedom
Sabbath Afternoon
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY: 2 Cor. 11:14, 15; Rev. 12:17;
13:11-15; 22:12-14.
MEMORY TEXT: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38, 39, NKJV).
KEY QUESTIONS:
What will Satan's last efforts consist of? What
basic human needs will he appeal to? And exactly how will he try to
accomplish his goals?
TURMOIL IN THE LAST DAYS.
We must not forget that we are
nearing the end of time when each follower of Christ will be tested to see
whose side he or she is on. But we must not become so preoccupied
with this testing time that we lose sight of Jesus.
The issue in the great controversy is the Lordship of Christ and the
loyalty of those who claim to love Him. But we do not have the
resources within ourselves to stand up to all the pressures that will be
brought to bear on us. Even our own faith will not sustain us. Such help
is ours only if we grasp the Saviour's hand, which He readily offers
us. He alone is the object of our faith and the author and finisher of it
(Heb. 12:1, 2). Thus we look beyond ourselves, not within ourselves,
for victory. We look to the true Source of moral strength and steadfast
faith. He is the One who will present us faultless before the Father.
104
Sunday
June 20
PERSONATIONS (1 Sam. 27:11-14; 2 Cor. 11:14).
As we studied earlier, Satan produced the appearance of Samuel at
the request of the witch of Endor. He is able to impersonate just as
easily the form of Samuel as that of an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
"Little by little he [Satan] has prepared the way for his masterpiece of
deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached
the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last
moment of time . . . Except those who are kept by the power of God,
through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks
of this delusion."—The
Great Controversy,
pp. 561, 562.
Beside the personations given below, what other kinds of person-
ations might Satan assume? Where else could he appear
(see
2 Cor.
11:14 and Rev. 16:14)?
We should anticipate four kinds of personations:
1.
Loved Ones.
"It is Satan's most successful and fascinating delu-
sion . . . Evil angels come in the form of those loved ones and relate
incidents connected with their lives, and perform acts which they
performed while living."—Last
Day Events,
p. 161.
2.
Saints or Sinners.
"It is not difficult for the evil angels to represent
both saints and sinners who have died. . . . These manifestations will
be more frequent, and developments of a more startling character will
appear as we near the close of
time."—Evangelism,
p. 604.
3.
Apostles.
"The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are
made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit
when on earth."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 557.
4.
Christ.
"As the crowning act in the great drama of deception,
Satan himself will personate Christ. . . . In different parts of the earth,
Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling
brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John
in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. . . . The shout of triumph rings
out upon the air: 'Christ has come! Christ has come!' The people
prostrate themselves in adoration before him. . . . In gentle, compas-
sionate tones . . . he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday,
and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 624.
How would you respond to Satan's personations of a loved one?
How would you
explain the personation of Christ by Satan to
your neighbors?
105
Monday
June 21
VISIONS AND APPARITIONS (Deut. 13:1-5; Rev. 12:1-5).
Apparitions are somewhat different from personations. They are
communications and manifestations of dead persons in an unusual way
such as a voice speaking through a bright light or the statue of a saint
shedding tears or oozing blood from its hands or feet. These kinds of
apparitions have become more frequent, particularly among Christians,
and are preparing the way for people to accept the workings of modern
spiritualism.
Some Christians believe that "through the current deluge of appari-
tions and locutions, . . . we are witnessing the intercession of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and true beacon for all Christians. It is
now part of God's plan to have the 'Woman Clothed with the Sun' (Rev.
12:1) appear throughout the world, to offer people a safe haven in her
Immaculate Heart."—Ted and Maureen Flynn,
The Thunder of Justice
(Sterling, Va.: Maxkol Communications, 1993), pp. 4, 5.
Compare Revelation 12:1-5 with verses 6-17. Explain the meaning
of these texts in light of the quote given above.
What are the reasons for these apparitions of Mary? The Flynns say
the central point of many of these warnings is to prepare people for the
second coming of Christ and to stress that at the core of our problems is
the breaking of the Sabbath (Sunday) commandment. In the Old Testa-
ment it was God's intention for the seventh-day Sabbath to be a day of
rest and worship, teaching and praise. But the Flynns believe that in
the New Testament, the day do to so is the Christian Sabbath, or
Sunday. They state that to be ready for Christ's return, people must
stop abusing this day. (See Ted and Maureen Flynn,
The Thunder of
Justice,
pp. 4, 389.)
Discuss how Deuteronomy 13:1-5 applies to the above statement.
If the apparitions of Mary become more frequent and begin to
influence someone you know, how would you share with that person the
biblical evidence that Mary is resting in the grave and that these
apparitions are from another source?
How would you explain from the Bible that the seventh-day
Sabbath has not changed, why it is just as important now as it
was in the Old Testament, and that it will continue to be so for
all peoples in all places?
106
Tuesday
June 22
WORLD UNITY (Rev. 13:1-18; 18:1-24).
Match the following items to the texts:
1.
Rev. 13:1, 2
A. The United
States/Protestantism
2.
Rev. 13:11
B. Satan
3.
Rev. 12:7
C. Spiritualism
4.
Rev. 13:14
D. The papal institution
5.
Rev. 16:13
E. World unity
The beast in Revelation 13:1, 2 represents the papal institution. The
beast in verse 11 represents the United States/Protestantism. The
dragon represents Satan (Rev. 12:9), who is determined to unite the
world (Rev. 13:14) and bring it under his control through spiritualism
(Rev. 16:13). (See the
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, pp. 816-824.)
Explain how Revelation 17:1-6 and 13:1, 2 relate to each other.
Commenting on Revelation 17:1-6, Dave Hunt writes, "The most
significant event in nearly 500 years of church history was revealed as
a
fait accompli
on March 29, 1994. On that day leading American
evangelicals and Catholics signed a joint declaration titled 'Evangelicals
and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the 3rd Millennium.'
The document, in effect, overturned the Reformation and will unques-
tionably have far-reaching repercussions throughout the Christian world
for years to come."—Dave Hunt,
A Woman Rides the Beast
(Eugene,
Ore.: Harvest House Publishers, 1994), p. 5.
Read about this woman and the beast in Revelation 18:1-4,
11-19; 14:8; 16:19; 13:16, 17.
Ancient Babylon symbolizes global unity. This symbolic city is
ruled by spiritualism, Catholicism, and political Protestantism. The glue
holding these parts together is a global economy dedicated to unity
and world peace (Rev. 18:11-19).
How will you respond when economic restrictions are placed
on those who persist in keeping the commandments of God,
including the seventh-day Sabbath? What can you do now to
increase
your faith and
decrease
your attachment to things of the
world? How can returning our tithes and offerings prepare us
emotionally for what is coming?
107
Wednesday
June 23
LAW AND ORDER (Rom. 13:1-7; Rev. 13:15; Dan. 3:13-18;
1 Pet. 2:13-17).
Compare what Paul said in Romans 13:1-7 with what Peter said in
Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 4:15, 16.
In Romans 13:1-7, Paul calls the state "God's servant" meaning that
it has the responsibility to commend those citizens who do good and
punish those who break the law. But its responsibility and laws should
not extend to the spiritual realm.
When Peter and John were arrested after the Sanhedrin instructed
them not to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter defended their actions by
saying, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more
than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19, NKJV). They then continued their
work. When the chief elders summoned them a second time to ask them
why they disobeyed their orders, Peter said, "We ought to obey God
rather than men" (Acts 5:29, NKJV). Likewise, we should be law abiding
citizens as long as a law does not go against one of God's commands
(James 2:10, 11).
Explain how the experience recorded in Daniel 3:13-18 fits into the
last days.
The Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint) used in
Jesus' day does not have the word
if
in verse 17 as does the Hebrew
text, which contains the whole statement (vv. 16-18) as a declarative
statement: "0 king, we have no need to answer thee concerning this
command. For God in the heavens is our one Lord, whom we fear,
and who is able to deliver us out of the furnace of fire; and out of your
hands, 0 king, he will deliver us; and then it shall be manifest to thee
that we will serve neither thy idol, nor worship thy golden image."
(See
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
4, p. 784.)
Compare the events of Daniel 3:1-25 with what will happen to God's
people in the time of the end. Does verse 25 imply that we will escape
unharmed? Explain your answer.
Why do you think the three Hebrews were strong enough to
disobey the king's command? Based on
verse
25, what hope of
victory and deliverance do we have?
108
Thursday
June 24
THE FINAL DECEPTION (Matt. 24:23-27).
In Matthew 24:23-27, Jesus encompassed all of Satan's deceptions
to the end of time. People will be invited to isolated places and secret
rooms to listen to and communicate with false teachers and christs.
With prophetic insight into the future, Jesus knew that Satan would
personate His second coming. He also knew that Satan would de-
ceive, if he could, the very elect (Matt. 24:24).
Compare Satan's attempt to counterfeit Christ's second coming
with what Jesus said about His return. Matt. 24:25-27; 1 Thess. 4:16-
18; Rev. 1:7.
Christ will come for
all
to see, even those who were responsible for
his death such as Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and members of the Sanhedrin
who pronounced Him guilty. Yet, not only will they mourn, but "all
peoples of the earth" will eventually mourn as well.
Explain the close of probation in light of Revelation 22:7-17. When
will it take place?
How does the context of these verses define "righteous" and
"holy," on the one hand and "unjust" and "filthy" on the other?
In verse 17, the Holy Spirit is making one last appeal to people
everywhere to accept Jesus as their Saviour. There will come a time
when probation will close and the moral character of each human will
be forever fixed. Now human nature can still be changed. The effects
of sin are still reversible, but once probation closes, a person's basic
human nature, be it good or bad, will remain as it is.
How would you answer the questions posed by the following pas-
sage quoted from
The Great Controversy?
"Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His Word
that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they,
in such a crisis, cling to the Bible and the Bible
only?"—The Great
Controversy,
p. 625.
How would you apply the questions from the above passage to
your daily Christian experience? What would help you become
more established in God and His Word in these last days?
109
Friday
June 25
FURTHER STUDY:
Read the glorious outcome of our destiny if we
remain faithful to Christ in Revelation 19-22.
Read any or all of the following:
Prophets and Kings,
"The Fiery
Furnace," pp. 503-513;
The Acts of the Apostles,
"At the Temple
Gate," pp. 57-69;
The Great Controversy,
"The Controversy Ended,"
pp. 662-678.
"In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called 'a country.'
Hebrews 11:14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to
fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month,
and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are
ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees
cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the
Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the
mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains,
beside those living streams, God's people, so long pilgrims and wan-
derers, shall find a home."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 675.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
After studying this week's lesson, how would you answer the
Key Questions in Sabbath's introduction?
2.
What fires
of daily life are people
thrown
into today? How can
God help us walk through these
fires so
that when the time of
the end comes, He will be our Companion and Guide?
SUMMARY:
Satan's last efforts to make void the gospel and take away
human freedom will revolve around spiritualism, economics, and perse-
cution. He will focus on such basic aspects of human nature as our
spiritual interests, monetary needs, safety, and security. To accomplish
his ends, he will personate Christ, influence lawmakers to enact laws
that will withdraw the privileges of liberty from those who keep God's
commandments, and influence governments to reserve buying and
selling only for those who conform to worldly standards.
But God will rescue His people. Then there will be a new heaven and
a new earth, populated with recreated people. God's original purpose in
creating the earth will be fulfilled. It will become the home of the
redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. One reminder
alone will remain: Jesus will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. As
eternity rolls on, the redeemed will comprehend more and more the love
of God as seen in their Saviour and Lord.
110
The Neglectful Adventist
J. H. Zachary
The pastor asked his church members in Sucavita, Romania, to
support the upcoming evangelistic meetings by praying and invit-
ing their friends. One man, Mircea Gainescu, agreed to invite some
friends, but during the week he became busy with work and other
activities and forgot his promise.
His pastor asked a second time, but the pressures of family and
work crowded the promise from his mind, and the week slipped by
before he remembered to invite someone.
On Friday night Brother Gainescu had a dream. He seemed to be
looking toward the gate that led from his front door to the street. As
he looked, a stranger approached the gate. Gainescu noted that he
was short and thin with curly hair. The stranger stopped and asked
Gainescu if he could go to church with him.
Gainescu woke up and remembered his promise to invite people
to the meetings. He prayed that it was not too late to keep his
promise.
Shortly after daybreak he looked out his window toward the
front gate. To his surprise he saw a stranger standing at the gate.
He was short and thin with curly hair. Gainescu recognized him as
the man he had seen in his dream.
Mircea hurried to the gate and welcomed the man into his home.
The stranger asked him, "I want to understand the Bible. May I go
to church with you today?"
Mircea whispered a thank-You prayer to God and told the man
about the evangelistic meetings. This man faithfully attended the
remaining meetings. He was thrilled with the messages and ac-
cepted each new truth with joy. Following Bible studies he was
baptized.
After his baptism he invited his neighbors to come to his home
to study the Bible. Some 40 persons accepted his invitation and
came to his studies. Only God knows the final outcome of this
man's conversion, but Mircea thanks God that He cares about one
soul enough to send a dream to a neglectful Adventist to remind
him to invite someone to church.
Is God reminding you to invite someone? Does He have to send
a dream before you will remember?
J. H. Zachary is international evangelism coordinator for The Quiet
Hour in Redlands, California.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness
E-mail: gomission@compuserve.com
Ill
Study Guide for Third Quarter, 1999
The third quarter Bible Study Guide, entitled
"God's Creation:
Looking at the Biblical Account,"
studies the role of our Creator-God
in the origins of life from the viewpoint of Scripture.
Lesson 1: God the Creator.
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY:
Gen. 1-2; John 1:1-18; 14:16-
28.
MEMORY TEXT:
Genesis 1:1, NKJV.
KEY THOUGHT:
The divine unity of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit are reflected in Creation.
OUTLINE:
God Is One (Gen. 1:1-2; Deut. 6:4; John 1:1-3).
Equal Yet Distinct (John 1:1-18; 14:16-28; 16:5-16).
United Yet Distinct (Gen. 1:26, 27; 3:22; Mal. 2:10; John 14:10).
Beginning, Middle, and End of Creation (Rev. 1:8).
Scripture and the Past, Present, and Future (2 Pet. 3:5-7).
Lesson 2: God's Two Books: Scripture and Nature.
READ FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY:
2 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15;
2 Pet. 1:19-21; Ps. 19; 33:4-9.
MEMORY TEXT:
Psalm 33:4, NKJV.
KEY THOUGHT:
God communes with fallen humanity through
Scripture and His works in nature.
OUTLINE:
The Book of Nature (Ps. 19:1-6; Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15).
The Book of Scripture (Ps. 19:7-11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:19-21).
The Harmony of Nature and Scripture (John 1:1-5; Ps. 33:4).
Contradiction of Nature and Scripture? (2 Pet. 3:3-13).
Rational and Faithful (Rom. 1:16-21; 1 Pet. 3:15).
Lessons in Braille
The regular adult Bible Study Guides are available free each month in
Braille and 16 2/3 rpm records to blind and physically handicapped persons
who cannot read normal ink print. This includes individuals who because of
arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis, accident, old age, and so forth cannot
hold or focus on normal ink-print publications. Contact the Christian Record
Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506.
112
True
stones about angels, miracles,
and answers to prayer
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Available at your local ABC. Call 1-800-765-6955.
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Visit us at
www.pacificpress.com
Pacific Press' Publishing Association
Creating the future of Adventist publishing
C1998 Pacific Press' Publishing Association 366/85590
Prices subject
to
change.
Mission Projects:
1.
Replace the deteriorating
dormitories on the campus
of the Palawan Adventist
Academy.
2.
Men's dormitory and
teachers' quarters at Central
Philippine Adventist College
in Central Philippine Union.
3.
One hundred jungle chapels
in newly entered territory in
South Philippine Union.
PHILIPPINES
SHI LANKA
MALAYSIA
r
!
Unions
Churches Membership Population
Bangladesh
Central Philippine
East Indonesia
Myanmar
North Philippine
South Philippine
Southeast Asia
West Indonesia
Guam-Micronesia
Mission
17
3,104
450,000
Sri Lanka
13
3,034
18,400,000
Totals July 30, 1997
5,147
980,568 635,975,000
69
11,124
120,000,000
927
162,443
15,602,000
506
79,640
21,752,000
171
19,238
46,000,000
1,198
216,698
37,021,000
1,440
343,390
20,000,000
271
58,633
177,100,000
535
83,264
179,650,000
It IOW emillbEw‘w
ot
Kupang
.0
TIMOR
INDONESIA
SO
ASIA-PACIFIC DIVISION
Inoa e
v.
e.t,